← 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.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTunisia: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSwitzerland: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: near the world's share or lessSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRwanda: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNigeria: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNepal: near the world's share or lessNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: no storiesMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalaysia: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLebanon: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessIsrael: near the world's share or lessPalestine: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessIceland: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: no storiesEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessEcuador: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessCongo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesColombia: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessCambodia: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBangladesh: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessJammu & Kashmir: near the world's share or lessGaza: near the world's share or lessWest Bank: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): no storiesWestern Sahara (Free Zone): no storiesAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessSiachen Glacier: near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: near the world's share or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: near the world's share or lessPitcairn: near the world's share or lessAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: near the world's share or lessZimbabwe: 51 in 100 of its 263 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Yemen: 69 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Venezuela: 58 in 100 of its 80 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Puerto Rico: 60 in 100 of its 53 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Türkiye: 51 in 100 of its 317 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Syria: 69 in 100 of its 124 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Sudan: 60 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)South Korea: 53 in 100 of its 457 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Philippines: 66 in 100 of its 934 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Pakistan: 56 in 100 of its 745 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Libya: 73 in 100 of its 52 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Italy: 56 in 100 of its 1,464 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Iraq: 66 in 100 of its 190 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Iran: 76 in 100 of its 501 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Indonesia: 64 in 100 of its 305 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Hungary: 57 in 100 of its 75 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Ghana: 55 in 100 of its 577 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Ethiopia: 70 in 100 of its 46 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)China: 61 in 100 of its 4,002 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Hong Kong: 52 in 100 of its 178 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Burkina Faso: 81 in 100 of its 27 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Afghanistan: 54 in 100 of its 155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)China: 61 in 100 of its 4,002 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)Macao: 73 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 39)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 39 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Iran 76 in 100 of its 501 stories · mostly health ● Philippines 66 in 100 of its 934 stories · mostly health ● China 61 in 100 of its 4,002 stories · mostly health ● Syria 69 in 100 of its 124 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Iraq 66 in 100 of its 190 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Indonesia 64 in 100 of its 305 stories · mostly health

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

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 · 19 Oct – 25 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.