← 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.

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: 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 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 lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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 readSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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 readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readNauru: 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 readMacao: 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 readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIceland: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSan Bernardino County, US -- disasters & accidents: 18 stories, carried by 32 outletsNew Mexico, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 15 outletsNottingham, UK -- health: 57 stories, carried by 44 outletsStoke-On-Trent, UK -- health: 35 stories, carried by 22 outletsAlibaba, Iran -- health: 10 stories, carried by 21 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

● San Bernardino County US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 18 stories ● New Mexico US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Nottingham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 57 stories ● Stoke-On-Trent UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 35 stories ● Alibaba Iran about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories

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 · 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.