← 10 Mar Wednesday 11 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 12 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
35,727 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 →

The day's news pointed at violence in Baghdad, illness in Tehran and people injured in Mexico. Iraq's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 70 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostHungary 51 in 100 of its 103 stories, usually 20
RegionNorth America 32 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
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 →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

140 of its 209 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Baghdad accounted for 102 of Iraq's 140 stories about harm, carried by 323 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (74 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Health

Iran

322 of its 483 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Tehran accounted for 158 of Iran's 322 stories about harm, carried by 188 outlets. Earthquake was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding and poisoning. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Hungary

53 of its 103 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Budapest accounted for 39 of Hungary's 53 stories about harm, carried by 119 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (21 stories).

its stories →
Health

Belgium

81 of its 203 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Switzerland

133 of its 356 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Israel

237 of its 539 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (39 stories). Plague was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

South Africa

358 of its 1,039 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Flu was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

2,554 of its 8,757 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). HIV was named in 53 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Japan (58 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in Türkiye (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hiv in Zimbabwe (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in South Africa (23 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); plague in Israel (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 23; 28 the day before
29 in 10020 in 10011 Feb18 Feb25 Feb3 Mar11 Mar11 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 10028 Feb: 24 in 10029 Feb: 26 in 1001 Mar: 25 in 1002 Mar: 24 in 1003 Mar: 25 in 1004 Mar: 25 in 1005 Mar: 25 in 1006 Mar: 26 in 1007 Mar: 27 in 1008 Mar: 28 in 1009 Mar: 27 in 10010 Mar: 28 in 10011 Mar: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 35,727 stories about harm among 124,134 counted on 11 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the highest since 4 August 2019. 29 in every 100 of the day's 124,134 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 23. In Japan's news, mentions of the tsunami ran about 5 times their usual. A year earlier, on 12 March 2019, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 29 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Somalia70 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq67 in 100 of its 209 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Iran67 in 100 of its 483 stories · usually 59 · mostly health Syria65 in 100 of its 206 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine61 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 46 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Delhi India157 stories about protests or strikes, of its 463 Washington US119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1874 London UK37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 634 Wuhan China36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 939 New Rochelle US33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 622

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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 lessTurkey: 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 readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: 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 readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: too little coverage to readSpain: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: too little coverage to readPapua 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: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: 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 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readDR 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: 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 lessAfghanistan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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 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 readZimbabwe: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSierra Leone: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualMacao: warmth about its own usualTibet, China -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsBurlington, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 20 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 124 stories, carried by 193 outletsPennsylvania, US -- health: 46 stories, carried by 57 outletsPort Talbot, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 19 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 23 outletsJordan Valley, Israel -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsNadda, India -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 11 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Tibet China about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Burlington US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 124 stories ● Pennsylvania US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 46 stories ● Port Talbot UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health70% 24,870 stories · much more than usual (usually 48%) Rights & justice13% 4,475 stories · much less than usual (usually 21%) Disasters & accidents6% 2,215 stories · much less than usual (usually 12%) Conflict & violence5% 1,687 stories · less than usual (usually 9%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 805 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 676 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 408 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 286 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 killed8,395 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,945 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,173 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,013 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees263 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill251 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting evacuations196 at about half the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting abductions151 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced139 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria 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 two-thirds of usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout two-thirds of 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.