← 29 Jan Saturday 30 January 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 31 Jan →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
15,410 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 news turned to deaths in Athens, illness in Hanoi and violence in Kabul. Afghanistan's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 56 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostFiji 71 in 100 of its 68 stories, usually 39
RegionSoutheast Asia 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 39
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Greece

86 of its 192 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Athens accounted for 69 of Greece's 86 stories about harm, carried by 218 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (62 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Greece over 30 days → its stories → Athens stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Taiwan

36 of its 84 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Cuba

28 of its 44 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Romania

14 of its 24 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

48 of its 68 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Heavy rain was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with flooding, storms and landslides.

its stories →
Health

France

157 of its 473 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →
Health

United Arab Emirates

71 of its 236 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Dubai accounted for 66 of the United Arab Emirates' 71 stories about harm, carried by 66 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heavy rain in Fiji (27 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); road crashes in Spain (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in China (24 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); ebola in South Africa (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in US (190 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 27; 26 the day before
31 in 10026 in 1001 Jan8 Jan15 Jan22 Jan30 Jan1 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 10024 Jan: 28 in 10025 Jan: 26 in 10026 Jan: 26 in 10027 Jan: 26 in 10028 Jan: 26 in 10029 Jan: 26 in 10030 Jan: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 15,410 stories about harm among 56,279 counted on 30 Jan.

Read the day's briefing

27 in every 100 of the day's 56,279 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 31 January 2020, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 27 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Fiji71 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Syria64 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia58 in 100 of its 90 stories · usually 55 · mostly disasters & accidents Zimbabwe55 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 45 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US280 stories about protests or strikes, of its 796 Delhi India166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 380 Moscow Russia48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 92 Paris France26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 74 Los Angeles US26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 157

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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 lessTurkey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: too little coverage to readSri 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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 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: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSyria: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualLithuania: warmth about its own usualKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 40 stories, carried by 30 outletsBogota, Colombia -- health: 12 stories, carried by 25 outletsAmsterdam, Netherlands -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 38 stories, carried by 87 outletsDenver, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 21 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- health: 29 stories, carried by 18 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 47 stories, carried by 31 outletsMaine, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 21 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

● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 40 stories ● Bogota Colombia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Amsterdam Netherlands about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 38 stories ● Denver US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health56% 8,619 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 2,541 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,528 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,337 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 641 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 305 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 187 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 132 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 killed4,260 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected973 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured817 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions132 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees97 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations68 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced64 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill31 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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 about as 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

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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.