← 16 Mar Tuesday 17 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
48,936 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to people injured in Italy, refugees in Libya and a disaster in Greenland. Iran's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 86 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostGhana 53 in 100 of its 532 stories, usually 22
RegionNorth America 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
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

Italy

671 of its 1,281 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Plague was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Italy over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

33 of its 58 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Iran

354 of its 515 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Tehran accounted for 191 of Iran's 354 stories about harm, carried by 359 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (50 stories). 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

Philippines

612 of its 872 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Manila accounted for 249 of the Philippines' 612 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (219 stories).

its stories →
Health

Spain

375 of its 793 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 9 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

3,854 of its 8,825 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Hepatitis was named in 37 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Lebanon

70 of its 147 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Ireland

468 of its 1,438 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Belgium

82 of its 163 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Brussels accounted for 56 of Belgium's 82 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: plague in Austria (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in Russia (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in Nigeria (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hunger in Ireland (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hiv in Australia (22 of its stories, about three times its usual).

38 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 37 the day before
38 in 10020 in 10017 Feb24 Feb2 Mar9 Mar17 Mar17 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 10017 Mar: 38 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 48,936 stories about harm among 128,027 counted on 17 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 38 in every 100 of the day's 128,027 stories, above the usual 26. It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed in all 1538 days held. In Austria's news, mentions of the plague ran more than ten times their usual. 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 →

Syria73 in 100 of its 110 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines70 in 100 of its 872 stories · usually 42 · mostly health Iran69 in 100 of its 515 stories · usually 63 · mostly health Iraq64 in 100 of its 253 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence China61 in 100 of its 3,743 stories · usually 61 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US164 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2705 Delhi India53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 515 Wuhan China50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 924 San Francisco US48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 553 Iditarod US36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 38

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Venezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: 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: feelings about like the world'sPuerto 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: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: 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'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGermany: 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'sFiji: 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 readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican 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: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: 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'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: too little coverage to readBosnia 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'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: 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'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: 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: feelings about like the world'sNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: 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 readNorfolk 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 about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sYemen: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuam: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sThailand: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTaiwan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSweden: coverage a little warmer than 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'sSouth Korea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSierra Leone: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSamoa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSt Vincent: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPapua New Guinea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNorway: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sNicaragua: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNamibia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMorocco: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMoldova: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMalaysia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMadagascar: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLesotho: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKyrgyzstan: 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'sJapan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times 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'sIraq: coverage about 5 times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIceland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHungary: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHaiti: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGreece: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken 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'sEgypt: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sCongo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChile: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBotswana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelize: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAngola: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMacao: coverage a little more grief-stricken 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 5 times as angry as the world's · 163 stories about harm ● Iran about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 354 stories about harm ● Kashmir about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 51 stories about harm ● Italy about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 671 stories about harm ● Niger few stories about three times as angry as the world's · 12 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about three times as angry as the world's · 30 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health86% 41,843 stories · much more than usual (usually 55%) Rights & justice5% 2,342 stories · much less than usual (usually 18%) Disasters & accidents3% 1,407 stories · much less than usual (usually 10%) Conflict & violence2% 1,104 stories · much less than usual (usually 8%) Shelter & services2% 847 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given1% 539 stories · less than usual (usually 4%) Displacement1% 318 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 268 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 killed8,726 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,368 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured891 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill233 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees199 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Türkiye Stories reporting people displaced133 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting evacuations127 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting abductions86 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria

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 half usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout half 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.