← 16 Feb Friday 17 February 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 18 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,764 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 a disaster in Sofia, rights and justice in Tunis and the drought in Kenya. Iran's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 34 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostBulgaria 58 in 100 of its 69 stories, usually 19
RegionCentral Asia 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Kenya

60 of its 193 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Drought was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

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

Singapore

29 of its 124 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

166 of its 341 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Drownings were named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Bangladesh

54 of its 127 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Displacement

Somalia

26 of its 30 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Slovenia

6 of its 10 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Rwanda

26 of its 45 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Brazil (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); train derailment in US (451 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drownings in New Zealand (13 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); storms in UK (46 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); heatwave in Australia (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 20 the day before
21 in 10018 in 10019 Jan26 Jan2 Feb9 Feb17 Feb19 Jan: 19 in 10020 Jan: 19 in 10021 Jan: 19 in 10022 Jan: 20 in 10023 Jan: 19 in 10024 Jan: 20 in 10025 Jan: 19 in 10026 Jan: 19 in 10027 Jan: 20 in 10028 Jan: 21 in 10029 Jan: 21 in 10030 Jan: 19 in 10031 Jan: 19 in 1001 Feb: 19 in 1002 Feb: 19 in 1003 Feb: 19 in 1004 Feb: 20 in 1005 Feb: 19 in 1006 Feb: 20 in 1007 Feb: 21 in 1008 Feb: 19 in 1009 Feb: 19 in 10010 Feb: 19 in 10011 Feb: 20 in 10012 Feb: 19 in 10013 Feb: 18 in 10014 Feb: 19 in 10015 Feb: 20 in 10016 Feb: 20 in 10017 Feb: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 Feb. 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 14,764 stories about harm among 74,071 counted on 17 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

In Bulgaria, 58% of the news was about people being harmed, where 19% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 74,071 stories, as usual. Mentions of Covid ran about 4 times their usual in Brazil's news. On 17 February 2022, a year earlier, the share was 24 in every 100, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria75 in 100 of its 242 stories · usually 72 · mostly disasters & accidents Türkiye68 in 100 of its 508 stories · usually 65 · mostly disasters & accidents Bulgaria58 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 19 · mostly disasters & accidents Malawi49 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 37 · mostly health New Zealand49 in 100 of its 341 stories · usually 38 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US50 stories about protests or strikes, of its 334 London UK41 stories about protests or strikes, of its 231 Memphis US36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 125 Tehran Iran31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 45 Ottawa Canada30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 67

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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 readTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 lessTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: too little coverage to readMali: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: too little coverage to readJapan: 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: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: 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 lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook 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: too little coverage to readWallis & 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 readTürkiye: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualLeuven, Belgium -- health: 15 stories, carried by 13 outletsSpringfield, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 20 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 30 outletsSan Marcos, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 13 outletsShiv, India -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsMelbourne, Australia -- health: 28 stories, carried by 31 outletsRio de Janeiro, Brazil -- health: 16 stories, carried by 75 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 12 stories, carried by 16 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

● Leuven Belgium about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Springfield US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories ● San Marcos US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Shiv India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health34% 4,879 stories · about as usual Rights & justice24% 3,483 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents19% 2,745 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence9% 1,357 stories · less than usual (usually 12%) Food & livelihood5% 760 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 553 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 536 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 228 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 killed3,492 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,561 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,381 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured821 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced176 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees143 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations88 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill5 at about half the usual rate · most about India and the US

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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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.