← 19 Mar Tuesday 20 March 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
47,315 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 violence in Ghouta, heavy rain in Madagascar and people affected in Namibia. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMoldova 88 in 100 of its 178 stories, usually 11
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Conflict & violence

Syria

1,185 of its 1,415 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 78%. Ghouta accounted for 657 of Syria's 1,185 stories about harm, carried by 411 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (318 stories). Hunger was named in 129 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Ghouta stories →
Disasters & accidents

Madagascar

38 of its 53 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (25 stories). Heavy rain was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Madagascar over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Namibia

35 of its 123 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Namibia over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Indonesia

Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (49 stories). Drownings were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Moldova

157 of its 178 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Chisinau accounted for 157 of Moldova's 157 stories about harm, carried by 141 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (156 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

767 of its 944 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Badush accounted for 242 of Iraq's 767 stories about harm, carried by 192 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (441 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Norway

141 of its 326 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Fiji

33 of its 113 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Meningitis was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

763 of its 1,628 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Accidents were named in 42 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Slovakia

Bratislava accounted for 81 of Slovakia's 82 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. 80 of Bratislava's 81 stories were about protests or strikes. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hunger in Iceland (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); meningitis in Fiji (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Egypt (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Bangladesh (25 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); respiratory illness in Mexico (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 22 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10019 Feb26 Feb5 Mar12 Mar20 Mar19 Feb: 22 in 10020 Feb: 21 in 10021 Feb: 23 in 10022 Feb: 22 in 10023 Feb: 22 in 10024 Feb: 24 in 10025 Feb: 23 in 10026 Feb: 22 in 10027 Feb: 22 in 10028 Feb: 21 in 1001 Mar: 21 in 1002 Mar: 23 in 1003 Mar: 24 in 1004 Mar: 22 in 1005 Mar: 19 in 1006 Mar: 21 in 1007 Mar: 20 in 1008 Mar: 20 in 1009 Mar: 20 in 10010 Mar: 23 in 10011 Mar: 23 in 10012 Mar: 23 in 10013 Mar: 22 in 10014 Mar: 22 in 10015 Mar: 21 in 10016 Mar: 22 in 10017 Mar: 22 in 10018 Mar: 23 in 10019 Mar: 22 in 10020 Mar: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 Mar. 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 47,315 stories about harm among 217,030 counted on 20 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of heavy rain ran more than ten times their usual in Madagascar's news. of the day's 217,030 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 20 March 2017, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 22 today. Syria's news was 84% about people being harmed, against a usual 78%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Moldova88 in 100 of its 178 stories · usually 11 · mostly conflict & violence Syria84 in 100 of its 1,415 stories · usually 78 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq81 in 100 of its 944 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence Maldives74 in 100 of its 155 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Madagascar72 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 42 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US340 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1579 Great Mills US295 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1405 Ghouta Syria175 stories about protests or strikes, of its 657 Mumbai India137 stories about protests or strikes, of its 235 Delhi India114 stories about protests or strikes, of its 368

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.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 readTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: 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'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: 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: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench 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 readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sDominican 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: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech 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'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readHong 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 readCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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 readEast 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: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: feelings about like the world'sPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: feelings about like the world'sMontserrat: 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: too little coverage to readNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk 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 readZimbabwe: 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'sVietnam: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUganda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTonga: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sThailand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTajikistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTaiwan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSpain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSlovakia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSt Vincent: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSt. Lucia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPhilippines: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNorway: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMoldova: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMali: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMadagascar: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Macedonia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLiberia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLatvia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJordan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJapan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHaiti: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGambia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sFinland: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little warmer than the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCongo: coverage a little warmer than the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBelize: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMaldives: coverage about twice as fearful as 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

● Iraq about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's · 767 stories about harm ● Syria about three times as angry as the world's · 1,185 stories about harm ● Moldova about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 157 stories about harm ● Norway about twice as fearful as the world's · 141 stories about harm ● Maldives about twice as fearful as the world's · 115 stories about harm ● Türkiye about twice as fearful as the world's · 320 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 12,571 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence22% 10,406 stories · about as usual Health20% 9,098 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents15% 7,120 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,137 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,728 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,453 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 938 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 killed16,142 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests7,025 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured5,827 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people affected4,791 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions1,174 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iraq and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees780 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations508 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced492 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill35 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Namibia

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 · 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.