← 15 Mar Monday 16 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 17 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
40,891 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 news turned to illness in Manila, protests in Idlib (Syria) and violence in Baghdad. Iraq's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much softer than usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and China → Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 85 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostBahamas 65 in 100 of its 93 stories, usually 25
RegionNorth America 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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

Philippines

492 of its 747 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Manila accounted for 239 of the Philippines' 492 stories about harm, carried by 80 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (192 stories). Flu was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with bird flu.

Philippines over 30 days → its stories → Manila stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

Idlib accounted for 51 of Syria's 89 stories about harm, carried by 135 outlets. 29 of Idlib's 51 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

Japan

396 of its 1,000 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (44 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 59 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Nigeria

496 of its 1,352 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Gas explosion was named in 38 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Iran

Tehran accounted for 162 of Iran's 316 stories about harm, carried by 238 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 31 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

US

14,739 of its 32,978 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (323 stories). Accidents were named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Italy

817 of its 1,431 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Tsunami was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with ebola and hiv. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Zimbabwe

92 of its 242 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Cyclone was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: respiratory illness in Japan (59 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); illness in Türkiye (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in Zimbabwe (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); respiratory illness in Iran (31 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Afghanistan (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

37 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 37 the day before
37 in 10020 in 10016 Feb23 Feb1 Mar8 Mar16 Mar16 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 10016 Mar: 37 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 40,891 stories about harm among 109,647 counted on 16 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 109,647 news stories, 37 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 25. the share of stories about people being harmed was the highest in all 1537 days held. Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and China.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria69 in 100 of its 129 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq68 in 100 of its 133 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Iran67 in 100 of its 469 stories · usually 62 · mostly health Philippines66 in 100 of its 747 stories · usually 41 · mostly health Bahamas65 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 25 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US103 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2432 Delhi India74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 521 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 735 Chicago US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 362 Wuhan China37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 740

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: feelings about like the world'sBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: feelings about like the world'sMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sZambia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGuam: coverage a little angrier than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSt Vincent: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sQatar: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPoland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPhilippines: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNigeria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNicaragua: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalta: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalaysia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLibya: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKuwait: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKenya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sJordan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJapan: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage about 4 times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sIceland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sHungary: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGuatemala: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGreece: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGermany: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGambia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGabon: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sFiji: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCuba: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sChile: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBelgium: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAustria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArgentina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more fearful than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Iraq about 4 times as angry as the world's · 91 stories about harm ● Syria about three times as angry as the world's · 89 stories about harm ● Iran about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 316 stories about harm ● Italy about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 817 stories about harm ● Bahrain few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 30 stories about harm ● UK about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 3,117 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health85% 34,402 stories · much more than usual (usually 54%) Rights & justice5% 2,123 stories · much less than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents3% 1,370 stories · much less than usual (usually 10%) Conflict & violence2% 1,000 stories · much less than usual (usually 8%) Shelter & services2% 711 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given1% 590 stories · less than usual (usually 4%) Displacement1% 276 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 228 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 killed8,429 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,704 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,177 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured731 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Japan Stories reporting people falling ill397 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting evacuations196 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees154 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting people displaced126 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and Nigeria Stories reporting abductions81 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria 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 · 18 Oct – 24 Oct

The week in human impact

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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.