← 26 Feb Thursday 27 February 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 28 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,050 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 →

People falling ill in Italy, people killed in Guam and protests in Lesbos (Greece) drew the news. Guam's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 51 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostItaly 53 in 100 of its 1,239 stories, usually 23
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 35
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

Italy

659 of its 1,239 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (23 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Italy over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Guam

20 of its 54 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 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 grief-stricken as the world's.

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

South Korea

444 of its 738 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Seoul accounted for 224 of South Korea's 444 stories about harm, carried by 443 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Cholera was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Saudi Arabia

283 of its 576 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Mecca accounted for 181 of Saudi Arabia's 283 stories about harm, carried by 448 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories). Cholera was named in 61 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with malaria.

its stories →
Health

Iran

344 of its 522 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Tehran accounted for 194 of Iran's 344 stories about harm, carried by 235 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Estonia

24 of its 91 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Türkiye

147 of its 311 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Azerbaijan

35 of its 116 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cholera in Saudi Arabia (61 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); dengue in Bangladesh (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in Canada (48 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in US (283 of its stories, about three times its usual); cholera in South Korea (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 22 the day before
23 in 10020 in 10029 Jan5 Feb12 Feb19 Feb27 Feb29 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 10023 Feb: 21 in 10024 Feb: 21 in 10025 Feb: 22 in 10026 Feb: 22 in 10027 Feb: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 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 29,050 stories about harm among 124,163 counted on 27 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 5 January 2020. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 124,163 stories, above the usual 21. Mentions of the cholera ran more than ten times their usual in Saudi Arabia's news. On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. the news turned to Italy for the second day running.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria80 in 100 of its 328 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Iran66 in 100 of its 522 stories · usually 50 · mostly health Iraq62 in 100 of its 152 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence China61 in 100 of its 4,582 stories · usually 67 · mostly health South Korea60 in 100 of its 738 stories · usually 33 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India558 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1141 Washington US106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1342 Idlib Syria46 stories about protests or strikes, of its 216 London UK45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 414 Jerusalem Israel39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 148

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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: 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: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew 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 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 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: 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 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 lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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 readTürkiye: warmth about one and a half times its own usualEswatini: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIndia: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualDoha, Qatar -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsLokoja, Nigeria -- other: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsNevada, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsAlbuquerque, US -- health: 26 stories, carried by 31 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 76 outletsConwy, UK -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 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

● Türkiye warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Doha Qatar about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Lokoja Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · other · 14 stories ● Nevada US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Albuquerque US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 26 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health51% 14,536 stories · much more than usual (usually 41%) Rights & justice20% 5,712 stories · less than usual (usually 23%) Disasters & accidents10% 2,917 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence10% 2,730 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 1,103 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 762 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 520 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 383 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 killed8,073 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,955 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,253 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,545 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting evacuations399 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting people falling ill238 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Saudi Arabia Stories reporting people displaced233 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees233 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions163 at about the usual rate

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
● Griefa little less than 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.