← 14 Mar Sunday 15 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 16 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,167 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 people killed in Spain, violence in Baghdad and a disaster in Puerto Rico. Iraq's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 82 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostSpain 49 in 100 of its 617 stories, usually 19
RegionCentral Asia 54 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 →
Health

Spain

304 of its 617 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (203 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Spain over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Italy

526 of its 846 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Plague was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with tsunami. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Philippines

417 of its 627 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Manila accounted for 219 of the Philippines' 417 stories about harm, carried by 74 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (191 stories).

its stories →
Health

US

7,666 of its 17,768 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate (89 stories). Dengue was named in 51 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Zimbabwe

75 of its 196 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

China

Wuhan accounted for 409 of China's 1,051 stories about harm, carried by 406 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (26 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with measles.

its stories →
Health

Iran

Tehran accounted for 113 of Iran's 224 stories about harm, carried by 265 outlets. Respiratory illness was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Idlib accounted for 60 of Syria's 100 stories about harm, carried by 117 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry 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: respiratory illness in Iran (34 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); malaria in Germany (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Nigeria (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tuberculosis in China (29 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); dengue in US (51 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

37 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 36 the day before
37 in 10020 in 10015 Feb22 Feb29 Feb7 Mar15 Mar15 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 10015 Mar: 37 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 22,167 stories about harm among 59,809 counted on 15 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

37 in every 100 of the day's 59,809 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 25. No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed in all 1536 days held. Spain stood out: 49% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 19%. Mentions of respiratory illness ran about 7 times their usual in Iran's news. This week the news turned most often to Iraq, on 5 of 7 days; help rose on 2 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria71 in 100 of its 140 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq67 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines67 in 100 of its 627 stories · usually 40 · mostly health China66 in 100 of its 1,601 stories · usually 61 · mostly health Iran65 in 100 of its 342 stories · usually 62 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1214 Delhi India38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 357 Wuhan China33 stories about protests or strikes, of its 409 Idlib Syria24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 60 Milan Italy21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 124

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTimor-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 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 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: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: too little coverage to readGermany: 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: 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 lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: too little coverage to readComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: too little coverage to readChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: too little coverage to readChad: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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 lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualBeverly Hills, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsOregon, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 35 stories, carried by 94 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 45 outletsLeicester, UK -- health: 22 stories, carried by 11 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsJaisalmer, India -- displacement: 23 stories, carried by 18 outletsBamako, Mali -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 15 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

● Beverly Hills US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 35 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 29 stories ● Leicester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 22 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health82% 17,977 stories · much more than usual (usually 52%) Rights & justice6% 1,381 stories · much less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents4% 902 stories · much less than usual (usually 11%) Conflict & violence3% 752 stories · much less than usual (usually 9%) Shelter & services2% 387 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 339 stories · less than usual (usually 4%) Displacement1% 159 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 140 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 killed5,578 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people affected1,608 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests792 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured559 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill122 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting people displaced101 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees83 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and Türkiye Stories reporting abductions69 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 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 →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.