← 18 Feb Sunday 19 February 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 20 Feb →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
6,993 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 →

Rights and justice in Sofia, violence in Damascus and volcanic eruption in the Philippines drew the news. Syria's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was harsher than usual.

Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and India → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostEthiopia 60 in 100 of its 52 stories, usually 36
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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

Bulgaria

22 of its 45 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Sofia accounted for 17 of Bulgaria's 22 stories about harm, carried by 23 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Bulgaria over 30 days → its stories → Sofia stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

207 of its 259 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. Damascus accounted for 141 of Syria's 207 stories about harm, carried by 172 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (107 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Damascus stories →
Disasters & accidents

Philippines

107 of its 329 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (31 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Philippines over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Russia

Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Drought was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Natural hazards were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ethiopia

31 of its 52 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Addis Ababa accounted for 21 of Ethiopia's 31 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets.

its stories →
Rights & justice

South Africa

122 of its 326 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Mexico

31 of its 103 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Respiratory illness was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Singapore

15 of its 54 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: respiratory illness in Mexico (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in New Zealand (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drought in Russia (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in Australia (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Canada (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
21 in 10018 in 10021 Jan28 Jan4 Feb11 Feb19 Feb21 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 10018 Feb: 20 in 10019 Feb: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 6,993 stories about harm among 34,324 counted on 19 Feb.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of respiratory illness ran more than ten times their usual in Mexico's news. of the day's 34,324 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. the news turned to Bulgaria for the third day running. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and India. This week the news turned most often to Tunisia, on 6 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria80 in 100 of its 259 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Türkiye70 in 100 of its 357 stories · usually 66 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia60 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 36 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan46 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 44 · mostly conflict & violence Iran43 in 100 of its 125 stories · usually 52 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 199 Jerusalem Israel21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 60 Tehran Iran15 stories about protests or strikes, of its 33 Karachi Pakistan14 stories about protests or strikes, of its 85 Los Angeles US13 stories about protests or strikes, of its 120

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Africa: too little coverage to readSomalia: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readPapua 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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 lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: too little coverage to readMalaysia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: 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 lessJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: too little coverage to readItaly: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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 lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: 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: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readJammu & Kashmir: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readMexico: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualGeorgia, US -- health: 25 stories, carried by 168 outletsAddis Ababa, Ethiopia -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 15 outletsRio de Janeiro, Brazil -- health: 11 stories, carried by 29 outletsDenver, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsLanarkshire, UK -- health: 21 stories, carried by 122 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsOttawa, Canada -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 20 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

● Georgia US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Addis Ababa Ethiopia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Rio de Janeiro Brazil about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Denver US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Lanarkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health29% 1,976 stories · less than usual (usually 32%) Rights & justice22% 1,537 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents20% 1,390 stories · more than usual (usually 17%) Conflict & violence15% 1,005 stories · more than usual (usually 12%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 380 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 254 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 246 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 99 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 killed1,966 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected777 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests675 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured585 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting abductions119 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees110 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Ukraine and Türkiye Stories reporting people displaced58 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations48 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill8 at about twice 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 harsher than 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

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.