← 17 Apr Saturday 18 April 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 19 Apr →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
26,693 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 arrests in Hong Kong and Chad and people affected in Colombia. Hong Kong's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 81 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostHong Kong 76 in 100 of its 95 stories, usually 48
RegionCentral Asia 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Rights & justice

Hong Kong

72 of its 95 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (44 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Hong Kong over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Colombia

33 of its 43 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Chad

18 of its 26 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Switzerland

91 of its 160 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. HIV was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Syria

58 of its 72 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Japan

178 of its 486 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Tsunami was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with earthquake. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

Tripoli accounted for 23 of Libya's 25 stories about harm, carried by 31 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Bulgaria

15 of its 29 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Malta

31 of its 58 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Ukraine (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); tsunami in Japan (22 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in Switzerland (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flu in Germany (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Pakistan (12 of its stories, about 9 times its usual).

40 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 41; 38 the day before
44 in 10038 in 10020 Mar27 Mar3 Apr10 Apr18 Apr20 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 10029 Mar: 44 in 10030 Mar: 41 in 10031 Mar: 40 in 1001 Apr: 40 in 1002 Apr: 41 in 1003 Apr: 40 in 1004 Apr: 42 in 1005 Apr: 44 in 1006 Apr: 41 in 1007 Apr: 40 in 1008 Apr: 40 in 1009 Apr: 39 in 10010 Apr: 41 in 10011 Apr: 43 in 10012 Apr: 44 in 10013 Apr: 42 in 10014 Apr: 40 in 10015 Apr: 39 in 10016 Apr: 38 in 10017 Apr: 38 in 10018 Apr: 40 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 Apr. 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 26,693 stories about harm among 66,765 counted on 18 Apr.

Read the day's briefing

In Colombia's news, mentions of the hunger ran more than ten times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 40 in every 100 of the day's 66,765 stories, below the usual 41. On 19 April 2019, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 40 today. In Hong Kong, 76% of the news was about people being harmed, where 48% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria81 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 70 · mostly health Hong Kong76 in 100 of its 95 stories · usually 48 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan74 in 100 of its 103 stories · usually 67 · mostly health Philippines67 in 100 of its 522 stories · usually 66 · mostly health Kashmir67 in 100 of its 142 stories · usually 60 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US311 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1276 Beijing China53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 207 Wuhan China40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 561 Delhi India37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 486 San Francisco US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 199

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: 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 lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJordan: 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 lessItaly: 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 lessIreland: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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 readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: 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: too little coverage to readCanada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina 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: 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 lessAzerbaijan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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 readTunisia: warmth about its own usualWrexham, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsBerkshire, UK -- health: 34 stories, carried by 40 outletsKansas, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 27 outletsHagersville, Canada -- health: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsArizona, US -- health: 34 stories, carried by 33 outletsWaterloo, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 32 outletsZermatt, Switzerland -- health: 33 stories, carried by 65 outletsDharma, India -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 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

● Wrexham UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Berkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories ● Kansas US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Hagersville Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health81% 21,559 stories · less than usual (usually 84%) Rights & justice6% 1,647 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents4% 1,101 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence3% 712 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 698 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 411 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 217 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 208 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 killed8,981 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,829 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,261 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,130 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees122 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations107 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced95 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill77 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions64 at about one and a half times 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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout one and a half times 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.