← 21 Feb Monday 22 February 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,711 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 day's news pointed at protests in Yangon (Myanmar), violence in Tripoli and people killed in Switzerland. Myanmar's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 52 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostLibya 54 in 100 of its 76 stories, usually 28
RegionCentral Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 32
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

159 of its 193 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Yangon accounted for 85 of Myanmar's 159 stories about harm, carried by 255 outlets. 83 of Yangon's 85 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (131 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Myanmar over 30 days → its stories → Yangon stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

41 of its 76 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Tripoli accounted for 35 of Libya's 41 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories).

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Italy

151 of its 486 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

266 of its 860 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (45 stories). Earthquake was named in 58 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Algeria

Algiers accounted for 19 of Algeria's 24 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. 16 of Algiers' 19 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Spain

35 of Barcelona's 45 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Palestine

55 of its 99 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Gaza accounted for 28 of Palestine's 55 stories about harm, carried by 29 outlets.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Congo

Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in New Zealand (58 of its stories, about three times its usual); flu in Mexico (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Ireland (41 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Cambodia (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); oil spill in Israel (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 29 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10024 Jan31 Jan7 Feb14 Feb22 Feb24 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 10021 Feb: 29 in 10022 Feb: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 21,711 stories about harm among 84,093 counted on 22 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Myanmar for the fourth day running. 26 in every 100 of the day's 84,093 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 23 February 2020, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 26 today. Myanmar stood out: 82% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 68%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Myanmar82 in 100 of its 193 stories · usually 68 · mostly rights & justice Yemen63 in 100 of its 91 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Niger59 in 100 of its 51 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia56 in 100 of its 190 stories · usually 47 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq56 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US243 stories about protests or strikes, of its 998 Delhi India106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 229 Yangon Myanmar83 stories about protests or strikes, of its 85 Moscow Russia50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 119 New York US46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 251

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 lessSweden: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCzech 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: 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: too little coverage to readColombia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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 readArgentina: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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 readTunisia: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualDominican Republic: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualMunich, Germany -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- rights & justice: 36 stories, carried by 44 outletsOrlu, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 11 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 33 stories, carried by 36 outletsNiamey, Niger -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 15 outletsTraverse City, US -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 119 outletsZurich, Switzerland -- health: 12 stories, carried by 30 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 24 stories, carried by 25 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

● Munich Germany about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 36 stories ● Orlu Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 33 stories ● Niamey Niger about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health52% 11,170 stories · less than usual (usually 54%) Rights & justice19% 3,993 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,752 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,492 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 855 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 719 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 319 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 214 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 killed5,505 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,532 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,527 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured985 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions257 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced131 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Italy and Yemen Stories reporting evacuations84 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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

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.