← 17 Mar Wednesday 18 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
52,159 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 →

Illness in Tehran and Baghdad and protests in Algiers (Algeria) drew the news. Iraq's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Language across the world's news ran 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 55 in 100 of its 577 stories, usually 24
RegionNorth America 45 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

Iran

383 of its 501 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Tehran accounted for 174 of Iran's 383 stories about harm, carried by 252 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 75 of Iraq's 126 stories about harm, carried by 260 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

Philippines

617 of its 934 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Manila accounted for 255 of the Philippines' 617 stories about harm, carried by 117 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (218 stories).

its stories →
Health

UK

4,025 of its 9,000 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Tsunami was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Pakistan

415 of its 745 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Flu was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

299 of its 729 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (104 stories). Tsunami was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Libya

38 of its 52 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Israel

337 of its 700 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (44 stories). HIV was named in 22 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: ebola in Uganda (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in Israel (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Malaysia (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Pakistan (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); tuberculosis in South Africa (20 of its stories, about three times its usual).

39 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 26; 38 the day before
39 in 10020 in 10018 Feb25 Feb3 Mar10 Mar18 Mar18 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 10018 Mar: 39 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 52,159 stories about harm among 133,496 counted on 18 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

39 in every 100 of the day's 133,496 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed in all 1539 days held. Reports of volunteers, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. It was the second day running that the news turned to Iran.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iran76 in 100 of its 501 stories · usually 63 · mostly health Libya73 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 43 · mostly health Syria69 in 100 of its 124 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq66 in 100 of its 190 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines66 in 100 of its 934 stories · usually 43 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US129 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2850 Delhi India49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 554 Wuhan China47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1025 Bengaluru India45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 154 Chicago US36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 582

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: 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'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: 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'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: feelings about like the world'sSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: 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'sNicaragua: 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'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sIreland: 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'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'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sFrance: 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'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: 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'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'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: 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'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: 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'sAustria: 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: feelings about like the world'sJammu & Kashmir: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: feelings about like the world'sSiachen Glacier: feelings about like the world'sAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: feelings about like the world'sPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish 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: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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 more grief-stricken than the world'sYemen: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sThailand: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSyria: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSlovenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSenegal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPortugal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPoland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMoldova: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMalaysia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalawi: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLiberia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKazakhstan: 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'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndonesia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIceland: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sHungary: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGreece: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sDjibouti: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCzechia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDR Congo: 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'sHong Kong: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChile: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCambodia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sBulgaria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBolivia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelize: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as 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'sUkraine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNauru: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMaldives: coverage a little angrier 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 three times as angry as the world's · 126 stories about harm ● Yemen few stories about three times as angry as the world's · 31 stories about harm ● Burkina Faso few stories about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 22 stories about harm ● Syria about three times as angry as the world's · 86 stories about harm ● Iran about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 383 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 84 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health86% 44,638 stories · much more than usual (usually 57%) Rights & justice5% 2,599 stories · much less than usual (usually 17%) Disasters & accidents3% 1,598 stories · much less than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence2% 993 stories · much less than usual (usually 8%) Shelter & services2% 905 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given1% 528 stories · less than usual (usually 3%) Food & livelihood1% 341 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 338 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 killed9,394 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,118 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,544 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured900 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting refugees213 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Greece Stories reporting evacuations173 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people falling ill164 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China Stories reporting people displaced120 at about half the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting abductions75 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 half usual
● Warmtha little more than 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.