← 17 Feb Tuesday 18 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,925 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 illness in Phnom Penh, people displaced in Diffa and protests in Istanbul (Türkiye). Burkina Faso's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 41 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostUkraine 33 in 100 of its 331 stories, usually 11
RegionEurope 20 in 100 of its stories, usually 17
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Cambodia

73 of its 120 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Phnom Penh accounted for 57 of Cambodia's 73 stories about harm, carried by 129 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Cambodia over 30 days → its stories → Phnom Penh stories →
Displacement

Niger

34 of its 42 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Diffa accounted for 30 of Niger's 34 stories about harm, carried by 65 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Niger over 30 days → its stories → Diffa stories →
Protests & strikes

Türkiye

173 of its 351 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. 19 of Istanbul's 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (65 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Türkiye over 30 days → its stories → Istanbul stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

31 of its 36 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 73%. Sebba accounted for 26 of Burkina Faso's 31 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Ukraine

108 of its 331 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Cameroon

49 of its 83 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lesotho

26 of its 70 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sweden

53 of its 189 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Japan

387 of its 1,282 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (84 stories). HIV was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

355 of its 904 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: extreme cold in Syria (48 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in South Sudan (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in Israel (39 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Chile (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); respiratory illness in New Zealand (26 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
23 in 10018 in 10020 Jan27 Jan3 Feb10 Feb18 Feb20 Jan: 18 in 10021 Jan: 19 in 10022 Jan: 18 in 10023 Jan: 19 in 10024 Jan: 20 in 10025 Jan: 21 in 10026 Jan: 22 in 10027 Jan: 20 in 10028 Jan: 20 in 10029 Jan: 20 in 10030 Jan: 20 in 10031 Jan: 21 in 1001 Feb: 21 in 1002 Feb: 23 in 1003 Feb: 21 in 1004 Feb: 21 in 1005 Feb: 20 in 1006 Feb: 21 in 1007 Feb: 21 in 1008 Feb: 22 in 1009 Feb: 23 in 10010 Feb: 21 in 10011 Feb: 20 in 10012 Feb: 20 in 10013 Feb: 20 in 10014 Feb: 20 in 10015 Feb: 22 in 10016 Feb: 23 in 10017 Feb: 21 in 10018 Feb: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 22,925 stories about harm among 113,117 counted on 18 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 113,117 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 18 February 2019, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria70 in 100 of its 308 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence China64 in 100 of its 4,784 stories · usually 66 · mostly health Cambodia61 in 100 of its 120 stories · usually 36 · mostly health Yemen61 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Cameroon59 in 100 of its 83 stories · usually 37 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 440 Delhi India84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 218 London UK58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 499 Wuhan China35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 940 Beijing China35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 418

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 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: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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 lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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 lessSwitzerland: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: 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: 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 lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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 readArmenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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): 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 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: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readYemen: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualMauritius: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualAngola: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualKatwe, Uganda -- health: 10 stories, carried by 34 outletsArizona, US -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 12 outletsHawaii, US -- conflict & violence: 34 stories, carried by 69 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 66 stories, carried by 92 outletsBuhari, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsMiddlesbrough, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 11 outletsStaffordshire, UK -- disasters & accidents: 11 stories, carried by 15 outletsKangaroo Island, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 143 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

● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Katwe Uganda about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Arizona US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories ● Hawaii US about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 34 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 66 stories ● Buhari Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health41% 9,347 stories · more than usual (usually 39%) Rights & justice23% 5,304 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 3,054 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 2,094 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 998 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 733 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 675 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 374 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 killed5,966 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,546 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured971 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations523 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US Stories reporting refugees285 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced185 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions156 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill136 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about China and the US

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 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 · 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.