← 13 Mar Saturday 14 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 15 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
25,506 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 →

Violence in Baghdad, illness in Manila and protests in Lima (Peru) drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about 7 times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 81 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostPhilippines 67 in 100 of its 583 stories, usually 39
RegionCentral Asia 39 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

191 of its 254 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Baghdad accounted for 156 of Iraq's 191 stories about harm, carried by 589 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (125 stories). Its coverage was about 7 times as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Protests & strikes

Peru

15 of its 45 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 10 of Lima's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories).

Peru over 30 days → its stories → Lima stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mozambique

11 of its 16 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Cyclone was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

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

Syria

Idlib accounted for 39 of Syria's 69 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Spain

286 of its 632 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (125 stories). Natural hazards were named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Indonesia

78 of its 130 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Jakarta accounted for 50 of Indonesia's 78 stories about harm, carried by 175 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (45 stories).

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

249 of its 649 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Canada

839 of its 2,329 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Power cuts were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Italy

516 of its 948 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (11 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: flooding in Egypt (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); illness in Syria (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in Ireland (27 of its stories, about three times its usual); natural hazards in Spain (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Nigeria (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

36 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 24; 33 the day before
36 in 10020 in 10014 Feb21 Feb28 Feb6 Mar14 Mar14 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 10012 Mar: 31 in 10013 Mar: 33 in 10014 Mar: 36 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 14 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 25,506 stories about harm among 70,306 counted on 14 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 36 in every 100 of the day's 70,306 stories, above the usual 24. It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed in all 1535 days held. For the fourth day running, the news turned to Iraq. Reports of volunteers, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iraq75 in 100 of its 254 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines67 in 100 of its 583 stories · usually 39 · mostly health Iran65 in 100 of its 309 stories · usually 61 · mostly health China65 in 100 of its 1,953 stories · usually 61 · mostly health Syria62 in 100 of its 111 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1642 Delhi India61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 493 Wuhan China35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 490 Baghdad Iraq29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 156 Paris France21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 103

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: 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: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: too little coverage to readNorth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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 lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR 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: 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: too little coverage to readMyanmar: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: too little coverage to readBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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): 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: 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: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSint 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 readThailand: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualBahrain: warmth about its own usualBamako, Mali -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 51 outletsNew Jersey, US -- health: 22 stories, carried by 26 outletsArizona, US -- health: 29 stories, carried by 22 outletsCheltenham, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 105 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 33 stories, carried by 61 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 40 stories, carried by 25 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

● Bamako Mali about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 17 stories ● New Jersey US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories ● Cheltenham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 33 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health81% 20,499 stories · much more than usual (usually 51%) Rights & justice7% 1,739 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents4% 998 stories · much less than usual (usually 11%) Conflict & violence3% 880 stories · much less than usual (usually 9%) Shelter & services2% 514 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 438 stories · less than usual (usually 4%) Displacement1% 195 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood0% 123 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 killed5,376 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,614 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests892 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured681 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill123 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees90 at about half the usual rate · most about Türkiye and Greece Stories reporting people displaced74 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting evacuations73 at about half the usual rate · most about India and South Africa Stories reporting abductions59 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India

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.