← 19 Mar Friday 20 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
50,022 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 Tehran, people affected in Afghanistan and protests in Algiers (Algeria). Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was 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 59 in 100 of its 529 stories, usually 26
RegionSouth Asia 52 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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

261 of its 361 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Tehran accounted for 118 of Iran's 261 stories about harm, carried by 247 outlets. Flooding was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Afghanistan

104 of its 147 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

Spain

333 of its 740 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Italy

874 of its 1,458 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Libya

24 of its 33 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

19 of its 30 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Peru

77 of its 149 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →
Health

India

3,042 of its 5,940 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Tsunami was named in 31 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Saudi Arabia (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); respiratory illness in Russia (21 of its stories, about three times its usual); plague in Nigeria (24 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hiv in France (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tsunami in India (31 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

40 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 40 the day before
40 in 10020 in 10020 Feb27 Feb5 Mar12 Mar20 Mar20 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 10019 Mar: 40 in 10020 Mar: 40 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 50,022 stories about harm among 123,792 counted on 20 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 40 in every 100 of the day's 123,792 stories, above the usual 28. It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed in all 1541 days held. On the side of help, reports of volunteers ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Saudi Arabia's news mentioned flooding about 5 times as often as usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico74 in 100 of its 61 stories · usually 46 · mostly disasters & accidents Iran72 in 100 of its 361 stories · usually 65 · mostly health Afghanistan71 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Syria69 in 100 of its 117 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines67 in 100 of its 716 stories · usually 46 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US157 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2747 Delhi India139 stories about protests or strikes, of its 912 London UK45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1032 Wuhan China41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1002 Jerusalem Israel30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 135

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUkraine: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: 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: too little coverage to readPeru: about as warm as its own usual or lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiberia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLesotho: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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 lessIraq: 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 lessIceland: 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 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 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 readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: 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 lessCrimea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readUK: warmth about its own usualUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSenegal: warmth about its own usualPanama: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualDarfur, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 63 outletsZabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- health: 42 stories, carried by 60 outletsManchester, UK -- health: 90 stories, carried by 60 outletsHelsinki, Finland -- health: 23 stories, carried by 61 outletsLincolnshire, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsSouth Dakota, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 21 outletsOregon, US -- health: 33 stories, carried by 30 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

● Finland warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Darfur Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories ● Zabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 42 stories ● Manchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 90 stories ● Helsinki Finland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health86% 42,911 stories · much more than usual (usually 60%) Rights & justice5% 2,557 stories · much less than usual (usually 16%) Disasters & accidents3% 1,419 stories · much less than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence2% 917 stories · much less than usual (usually 7%) Shelter & services2% 902 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given1% 500 stories · less than usual (usually 3%) Food & livelihood1% 349 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 251 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 killed9,616 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,006 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,640 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured999 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill162 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees160 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people displaced119 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting evacuations109 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions84 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 two-thirds of 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

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.