← 15 Feb Tuesday 16 February 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,256 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 Yangon (Myanmar), illness in Pyongyang and violence in Erbil. Iraq's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 50 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 73 in 100 of its 104 stories, usually 29
RegionNorth America 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 31
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 →
Protests & strikes

Myanmar

141 of its 174 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Yangon accounted for 79 of Myanmar's 141 stories about harm, carried by 148 outlets. 78 of Yangon's 79 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (22 stories). Natural hazards were named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Myanmar over 30 days → its stories → Yangon stories →
Health

North Korea

76 of its 104 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Pyongyang accounted for 34 of North Korea's 76 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Outbreaks were named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories → Pyongyang stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

183 of its 257 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Erbil accounted for 106 of Iraq's 183 stories about harm, carried by 196 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (116 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Erbil stories →
Disasters & accidents

Greece

97 of its 210 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Athens accounted for 67 of Greece's 97 stories about harm, carried by 167 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Extreme cold was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with power cuts.

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

U.S. Virgin Islands

16 of its 26 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (16 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bangladesh

94 of its 204 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Dhaka accounted for 57 of Bangladesh's 94 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Trinidad & Tobago

34 of its 77 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

122 of its 242 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

39 of its 81 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 16 of Minsk's 24 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Spain

19 of Lleida's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Vanuatu (18 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Romania (18 of its stories, about three times its usual); helicopter crash in U.S. Virgin Islands (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in Kenya (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in US (531 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 27 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10018 Jan25 Jan1 Feb8 Feb16 Feb18 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 10031 Jan: 28 in 1001 Feb: 25 in 1002 Feb: 25 in 1003 Feb: 25 in 1004 Feb: 25 in 1005 Feb: 25 in 1006 Feb: 27 in 1007 Feb: 27 in 1008 Feb: 24 in 1009 Feb: 25 in 10010 Feb: 25 in 10011 Feb: 25 in 10012 Feb: 25 in 10013 Feb: 28 in 10014 Feb: 29 in 10015 Feb: 27 in 10016 Feb: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 Feb. 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 25,256 stories about harm among 93,773 counted on 16 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Myanmar for the third day running. 27 in every 100 of the day's 93,773 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Vanuatu's news, mentions of the tsunami ran about three times their usual. A year earlier, on 17 February 2020, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. Myanmar's news was 81% about people being harmed, against a usual 64%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Guinea92 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 58 · mostly health Myanmar81 in 100 of its 174 stories · usually 64 · mostly rights & justice North Korea73 in 100 of its 104 stories · usually 29 · mostly health Iraq71 in 100 of its 257 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen65 in 100 of its 84 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US326 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1033 Delhi India291 stories about protests or strikes, of its 451 Yangon Myanmar78 stories about protests or strikes, of its 79 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 343 Manhattan US35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 159

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 lessGreece: 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: 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 lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: too little coverage to readChad: 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: 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 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 lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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 lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBhutan: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualBahamas: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualEshhar, Israel -- health: 20 stories, carried by 31 outletsYeovil, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 13 outletsOregon, US -- rights & justice: 23 stories, carried by 23 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 12 outletsNew Hampshire, US -- health: 24 stories, carried by 26 outletsLake District, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 14 outletsHyderabad, India -- health: 19 stories, carried by 18 outletsBrantford, Canada -- health: 10 stories, carried by 16 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

● Romania warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Eshhar Israel about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Yeovil UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 23 stories ● Kaduna Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● New Hampshire US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health50% 12,481 stories · much less than usual (usually 56%) Rights & justice17% 4,215 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 3,713 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Conflict & violence7% 1,766 stories · about as usual Shelter & services6% 1,581 stories · more than usual (usually 2%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 665 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 330 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 306 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 killed5,649 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,759 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,625 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,172 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions176 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced118 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations45 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people falling ill19 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Guinea

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
● 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

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.