← 19 Feb Saturday 20 February 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
15,328 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 Mandalay (Myanmar), flooding in Indonesia and violence in Tripoli. Myanmar's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostIndonesia 71 in 100 of its 119 stories, usually 47
RegionCentral Asia 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 31
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Myanmar

163 of its 188 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Mandalay accounted for 66 of Myanmar's 163 stories about harm, carried by 252 outlets. 65 of Mandalay's 66 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 10 times the usual rate (93 stories). Natural hazards were named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Myanmar over 30 days → its stories → Mandalay stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

84 of its 119 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Jakarta accounted for 61 of Indonesia's 84 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (35 stories). Flooding was named in 45 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with heavy rain and landslides.

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

Gabon

9 of its 9 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. 6 of Libreville's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

17 of its 21 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. 8 of Algiers' 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Philippines

177 of its 341 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (11 stories). Tropical storm was named in 37 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cyclone, heavy rain and flooding.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

98 of its 146 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Kabul accounted for 62 of Afghanistan's 98 stories about harm, carried by 123 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

46 of its 69 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Baghdad accounted for 31 of Iraq's 46 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

63 of its 142 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Bangkok accounted for 49 of Thailand's 63 stories about harm, carried by 251 outlets. 40 of Bangkok's 49 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flu in Russia (62 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (37 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in US (90 of its stories, about three times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 26 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10022 Jan29 Jan5 Feb12 Feb20 Feb22 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 10017 Feb: 27 in 10018 Feb: 26 in 10019 Feb: 26 in 10020 Feb: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 15,328 stories about harm among 55,072 counted on 20 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

It was the second day running that the news turned to Myanmar. of the day's 55,072 news stories, 28 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. Indonesia's news mentioned flooding about 6 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 21 February 2020, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 28 today. In Myanmar, 87% of the news was about people being harmed, where 66% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Myanmar87 in 100 of its 188 stories · usually 66 · mostly rights & justice Indonesia71 in 100 of its 119 stories · usually 47 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan67 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq67 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 55 · mostly conflict & violence Syria55 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US148 stories about protests or strikes, of its 752 Delhi India133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 283 Mandalay Myanmar65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 66 Yangon Myanmar54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 55 Moscow Russia46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 164

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: 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'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew Zealand: 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'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: feelings about like the world'sMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMali: 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'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIsrael: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: feelings about like the world'sFrance: 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 readEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: 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'sCongo: 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'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: 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 readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Free Zone): feelings about like the world'sEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sUzbekistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTanzania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSouth Sudan: 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 fearful as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPeru: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPanama: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMalta: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLebanon: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJordan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIreland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage a little angrier than the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFiji: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDR Congo: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMyanmar: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry 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 one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little warmer 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

● Yemen few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 26 stories about harm ● Myanmar about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 163 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 98 stories about harm ● Iraq few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 46 stories about harm ● Pakistan about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 198 stories about harm ● Türkiye few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 41 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 7,419 stories · much less than usual (usually 55%) Rights & justice19% 2,894 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 1,905 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,082 stories · about as usual Shelter & services6% 961 stories · more than usual (usually 3%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 563 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 218 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 157 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 killed4,105 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,295 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,165 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured855 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Myanmar Stories reporting abductions123 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and India Stories reporting refugees113 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Ethiopia Stories reporting people displaced95 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Yemen and Ethiopia Stories reporting evacuations95 at about twice the usual rate · most about Indonesia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and France

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 much 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 · 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.