← 27 Mar Saturday 28 March 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 29 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
29,820 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 Jerusalem, protests in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and people killed in Botswana. Botswana's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 85 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostPanama 85 in 100 of its 95 stories, usually 34
RegionCentral Asia 59 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Israel

157 of its 264 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Jerusalem accounted for 86 of Israel's 157 stories about harm, carried by 59 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Flooding was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Protests & strikes

Brazil

88 of its 184 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 19 of Sao Paulo's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (47 stories). Flu was named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

Brazil over 30 days → its stories → Sao Paulo stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Botswana

10 of its 18 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Panama

81 of its 95 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. the Panama Canal accounted for 55 of Panama's 81 stories about harm, carried by 228 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (61 stories).

its stories →
Health

US

11,278 of its 22,140 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (663 stories). Accidents were named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

1,997 of its 4,203 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (702 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

75 of its 150 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (24 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Spain

267 of its 547 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Iran

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Poisoning was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Syria (40 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Iraq (27 of its stories, about three times its usual); covid in Somalia (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Indonesia (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); poisoning in Iran (18 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

43 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 33; 41 the day before
43 in 10024 in 10028 Feb6 Mar13 Mar20 Mar28 Mar28 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 10022 Mar: 43 in 10023 Mar: 40 in 10024 Mar: 40 in 10025 Mar: 41 in 10026 Mar: 41 in 10027 Mar: 41 in 10028 Mar: 43 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 29,820 stories about harm among 69,051 counted on 28 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 69,051 news stories, 43 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 33. On 29 March 2019, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 43 today. Israel's news was 59% about people being harmed, against a usual 44%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Panama85 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 34 · mostly health Syria79 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 73 · mostly health Philippines67 in 100 of its 535 stories · usually 55 · mostly health Bangladesh67 in 100 of its 150 stories · usually 45 · mostly health Afghanistan65 in 100 of its 150 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US97 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1615 Delhi India32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 497 Wuhan China29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 555 Manhattan US28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 350 New York US24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 626

Stories, not people.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessYemen: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: 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: no storiesUnited 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: no storiesThailand: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: 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: no storiesSouth Sudan: near the world's share or lessSudan: near the world's share or lessSri Lanka: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: 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: no storiesSamoa: 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 lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: 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 storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: no storiesMontenegro: no storiesMongolia: 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 lessLibya: 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 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 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 lessHungary: 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: no storiesGuinea: 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 lessEthiopia: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: no storiesEl 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: no storiesGreenland: 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 lessHong Kong: 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 lessBurkina Faso: 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 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 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 storiesCrimea: near the world's share or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: no storiesPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: 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: near the world's share or lessMontserrat: no storiesJersey: 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: no storiesMonaco: no storiesMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesPuerto Rico: 75 in 100 of its 28 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Türkiye: 65 in 100 of its 155 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Taiwan: 63 in 100 of its 92 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Syria: 79 in 100 of its 70 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Somalia: 79 in 100 of its 33 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Philippines: 67 in 100 of its 535 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Panama: 85 in 100 of its 95 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Pakistan: 61 in 100 of its 649 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)North Korea: 76 in 100 of its 29 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Nigeria: 61 in 100 of its 1,146 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Nepal: 62 in 100 of its 97 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Kenya: 58 in 100 of its 173 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Italy: 63 in 100 of its 793 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Israel: 59 in 100 of its 264 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Iraq: 65 in 100 of its 85 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Iran: 63 in 100 of its 240 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Indonesia: 60 in 100 of its 152 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Ghana: 57 in 100 of its 222 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)China: 65 in 100 of its 1,805 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Bangladesh: 67 in 100 of its 150 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Afghanistan: 65 in 100 of its 150 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)China: 65 in 100 of its 1,805 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)Kashmir: 59 in 100 of its 135 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 43)
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 43 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

● Panama 85 in 100 of its 95 stories · mostly health ● Philippines 67 in 100 of its 535 stories · mostly health ● China 65 in 100 of its 1,805 stories · mostly health ● Syria 79 in 100 of its 70 stories · mostly health ● Italy 63 in 100 of its 793 stories · mostly health ● Bangladesh 67 in 100 of its 150 stories · mostly health

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

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health85% 25,284 stories · much more than usual (usually 72%) Rights & justice4% 1,293 stories · much less than usual (usually 10%) Disasters & accidents4% 1,116 stories · less than usual (usually 6%) Conflict & violence2% 591 stories · less than usual (usually 5%) Shelter & services2% 510 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 492 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 231 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 168 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 killed8,585 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people affected1,974 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,094 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,008 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill110 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees85 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced76 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting abductions51 at about two-thirds of 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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

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.