← 21 Feb Saturday 22 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 23 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
13,811 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 Khartoum (Sudan), road crashes in South Korea and violence in Juba. South Sudan's coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 36 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostSouth Korea 53 in 100 of its 373 stories, usually 24
RegionCentral Asia 40 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

38 of its 49 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. 11 of Khartoum's 15 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Health

South Korea

197 of its 373 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Seoul accounted for 107 of South Korea's 197 stories about harm, carried by 570 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (104 stories). Road crashes were named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

South Korea over 30 days → its stories → Seoul stories →
Conflict & violence

South Sudan

45 of its 68 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Juba accounted for 29 of South Sudan's 45 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

South Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Juba stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

59 of its 125 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Flooding was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with landslides.

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

Iran

250 of its 388 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Tehran accounted for 181 of Iran's 250 stories about harm, carried by 407 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kazakhstan

25 of its 49 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 18 of Almaty's 21 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (19 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Ukraine

35 of its 109 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. 11 of Novi Sanzhary's 15 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 9 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

186 of its 295 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Kabul accounted for 115 of Afghanistan's 186 stories about harm, carried by 371 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Italy

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (7 stories). Flu was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

China

Wuhan accounted for 484 of China's 1,273 stories about harm, carried by 512 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (46 stories). Road crashes were named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flu in Italy (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); train derailment in Australia (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); overdoses in India (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in China (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
23 in 10020 in 10024 Jan31 Jan7 Feb14 Feb22 Feb24 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 10019 Feb: 20 in 10020 Feb: 20 in 10021 Feb: 20 in 10022 Feb: 21 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 13,811 stories about harm among 66,098 counted on 22 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 66,098 stories, as usual. A year earlier, on 22 February 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria73 in 100 of its 191 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence South Sudan66 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Iran64 in 100 of its 388 stories · usually 45 · mostly health China64 in 100 of its 1,981 stories · usually 68 · mostly health Iraq63 in 100 of its 82 stories · usually 58 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India55 stories about protests or strikes, of its 224 Washington US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 311 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 185 Hubei China35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 203 Ahmedabad India25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 54

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSri 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: 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 readOman: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: too little coverage to readLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 lessJordan: too little coverage to readJapan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: 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: 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: 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 lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: too little coverage to readCentral 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 readBotswana: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readJammu & 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 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: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 115 stories, carried by 371 outletsJuba, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 81 outletsVermont, US -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsArizona, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 27 outletsPaya Lebar, Singapore -- health: 13 stories, carried by 10 outletsScottish Highlands, UK -- disasters & accidents: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsAnantnag, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 22 stories, carried by 22 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

● Kabul Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 115 stories ● Juba South Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 29 stories ● Vermont US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Khartoum Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health36% 4,946 stories · less than usual (usually 41%) Rights & justice27% 3,715 stories · more than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents13% 1,739 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence11% 1,557 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 724 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 408 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 327 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 208 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 killed4,068 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,613 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,429 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured662 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations276 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees141 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced138 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Syria and South Sudan Stories reporting abductions90 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill57 at about half 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 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

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.