← 20 Mar Saturday 21 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 22 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,884 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 killed in Singapore, protests in Gothenburg (Sweden) and people affected in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 86 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostSingapore 67 in 100 of its 160 stories, usually 36
RegionCentral Asia 46 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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

Singapore

107 of its 160 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Singapore over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

71 of its 108 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

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

UK

1,983 of its 4,223 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Tsunami was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Spain

228 of its 486 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (118 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

North Korea

90 of its 127 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Pyongyang accounted for 79 of North Korea's 90 stories about harm, carried by 270 outlets. Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

South Africa

201 of its 420 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

87 of its 190 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

187 of its 474 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (91 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Greece (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in North Korea (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flu in Russia (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tuberculosis in South Africa (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); poisoning in Nigeria (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

41 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 28; 40 the day before
41 in 10020 in 10021 Feb28 Feb6 Mar13 Mar21 Mar21 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 10021 Mar: 41 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 29,884 stories about harm among 72,019 counted on 21 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

41 in every 100 of the day's 72,019 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 28. No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed in all 1542 days held. Greece's news mentioned the earthquake more than ten times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 22 March 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 41 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Palestine76 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Iran72 in 100 of its 320 stories · usually 66 · mostly health Syria72 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 73 · mostly health North Korea71 in 100 of its 127 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Iraq71 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 61 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1524 Delhi India52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 562 Wuhan China29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 620 Johannesburg South Africa21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 65 London UK20 stories about protests or strikes, of its 551

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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 Arab Emirates: 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: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: 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: too little coverage to readTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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 Korea: 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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 lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: 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 lessJapan: 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 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 lessIceland: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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 readFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: 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: too little coverage to readChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 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 lessAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: 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 readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. 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 usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualBhutan: warmth about its own usualBarbados: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualHertfordshire, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsArizona, US -- health: 29 stories, carried by 22 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- health: 19 stories, carried by 71 outletsSussex, Canada -- health: 10 stories, carried by 32 outletsFort Collins, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- health: 17 stories, carried by 17 outletsBrighton, UK -- health: 31 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Hertfordshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 29 stories ● Saskatchewan Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Sussex Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Fort Collins US 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 →

Health86% 25,608 stories · much more than usual (usually 62%) Rights & justice4% 1,308 stories · much less than usual (usually 15%) Disasters & accidents3% 957 stories · much less than usual (usually 8%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 527 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence2% 522 stories · much less than usual (usually 7%) Shelter & services2% 518 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 182 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 151 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 killed6,953 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people affected1,775 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests973 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured764 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill130 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees85 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting evacuations71 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced69 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Syria Stories reporting abductions40 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 two-thirds of usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than 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.