← 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.

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: 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: too little coverage to readUnited 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: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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 lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: too little coverage to readSweden: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth Africa: 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: too little coverage to readSamoa: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: too little coverage to readPortugal: 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: too little coverage to readCuraçao: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPalestine: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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: 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: 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: 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 lessChina: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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 readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 31 outletsWisconsin, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 41 outletsOrlu, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 10 outletsMunich, Germany -- health: 27 stories, carried by 79 outletsArizona, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 36 outletsMarib, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 21 outletsNorthern Ireland, UK -- health: 55 stories, carried by 194 outletsKagara, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 30 stories, carried by 17 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

● Mogadishu Somalia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Wisconsin US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Orlu Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Munich Germany about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories ● Arizona 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 →

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 · 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.