← 24 Feb Thursday 25 February 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 26 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
24,851 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 →

Protests in Guayaquil (Ecuador), people killed in Saudi Arabia and rights and justice in Damascus drew the news. Ecuador's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 55 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostEcuador 81 in 100 of its 54 stories, usually 42
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 36
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Ecuador

44 of its 54 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Guayaquil accounted for 25 of Ecuador's 44 stories about harm, carried by 36 outlets. 17 of Guayaquil's 25 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Ecuador over 30 days → its stories → Guayaquil stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

183 of its 355 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (94 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Vanuatu

13 of its 14 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Volcanic eruption was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

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

Myanmar

Yangon accounted for 44 of Myanmar's 85 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets. 44 of Yangon's 44 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Belgium

51 of its 126 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Brussels accounted for 44 of Belgium's 51 stories about harm, carried by 130 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Cambodia

25 of its 49 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Sri Lanka

82 of its 207 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Cameroon

17 of its 42 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

88 of its 224 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Indonesia (24 of its stories, about three times its usual); respiratory illness in Nigeria (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in Australia (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 25 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10027 Jan3 Feb10 Feb17 Feb25 Feb27 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 10023 Feb: 26 in 10024 Feb: 25 in 10025 Feb: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 25 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 24,851 stories about harm among 101,010 counted on 25 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Ecuador for the third day running. 25 in every 100 of the day's 101,010 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 26. In Vanuatu's news, mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual. Ecuador stood out: 81% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 42%. A year earlier, on 26 February 2020, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Ecuador81 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 42 · mostly rights & justice Myanmar75 in 100 of its 113 stories · usually 69 · mostly rights & justice Syria63 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 54 · mostly health Niger55 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine53 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 47 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US274 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1160 Delhi India65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 228 New York US53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 316 London UK47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 445 Yangon Myanmar44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 44

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: 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'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth 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: feelings about like the world'sKenya: feelings about like the world'sJordan: 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'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChina: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: 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: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAksai Chin: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: feelings about like the world'sAruba: feelings about like the world'sNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: feelings about like the world'sGibraltar: too little coverage to readZambia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little angrier than the world'sVanuatu: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTanzania: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEswatini: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSierra Leone: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSt Vincent: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sQatar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPeru: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNicaragua: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNamibia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMorocco: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMexico: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMalta: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sMalaysia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLibya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKazakhstan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sItaly: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHaiti: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuyana: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEcuador: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCzechia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sMyanmar: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBulgaria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBrazil: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBotswana: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sArmenia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAlbania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMayotte: coverage a little angrier 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

● Pakistan about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 199 stories about harm ● Ecuador few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 44 stories about harm ● Saudi Arabia about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 183 stories about harm ● Iraq about twice as angry as the world's · 53 stories about harm ● Syria about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 77 stories about harm ● Malta few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 27 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health55% 13,635 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 4,541 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,352 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,734 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 844 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 803 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 455 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 222 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 killed5,918 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,819 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,758 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured957 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions169 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees152 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced122 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations41 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting people falling ill21 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the Czechia

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 softer 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

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.