← 19 Mar Monday 20 March 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 21 Mar →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,951 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 day's news pointed at protests in Nairobi (Kenya), the hunger in Somalia and abductions in Niger. Somalia's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNiger 71 in 100 of its 63 stories, usually 43
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 29 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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 →
Protests & strikes

Kenya

81 of its 221 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Nairobi accounted for 54 of Kenya's 81 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. 46 of Nairobi's 54 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (22 stories).

Kenya over 30 days → its stories → Nairobi stories →
Disasters & accidents

Somalia

47 of its 60 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Mogadishu accounted for 20 of Somalia's 47 stories about harm, carried by 20 outlets. Hunger was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with cholera. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

45 of its 63 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Niger over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Ecuador

33 of its 42 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Guayaquil accounted for 20 of Ecuador's 33 stories about harm, carried by 24 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Central African Republic

14 of its 17 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

France

171 of its 668 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 63 of Paris' 116 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (51 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

South Africa

267 of its 751 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 68 of Johannesburg's 87 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (86 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Syria

74 of its 99 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Damascus accounted for 33 of Syria's 74 stories about harm, carried by 45 outlets. Flooding was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

141 of its 290 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Baghdad accounted for 86 of Iraq's 141 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: storms in Switzerland (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in Finland (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Syria (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Australia (21 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Philippines (11 of its stories, about three times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 21 the day before
22 in 10018 in 10019 Feb26 Feb5 Mar12 Mar20 Mar19 Feb: 20 in 10020 Feb: 20 in 10021 Feb: 20 in 10022 Feb: 20 in 10023 Feb: 20 in 10024 Feb: 20 in 10025 Feb: 20 in 10026 Feb: 22 in 10027 Feb: 19 in 10028 Feb: 20 in 1001 Mar: 20 in 1002 Mar: 20 in 1003 Mar: 20 in 1004 Mar: 21 in 1005 Mar: 20 in 1006 Mar: 20 in 1007 Mar: 20 in 1008 Mar: 20 in 1009 Mar: 20 in 10010 Mar: 20 in 10011 Mar: 20 in 10012 Mar: 19 in 10013 Mar: 18 in 10014 Mar: 19 in 10015 Mar: 18 in 10016 Mar: 18 in 10017 Mar: 19 in 10018 Mar: 20 in 10019 Mar: 21 in 10020 Mar: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 12,951 stories about harm among 67,934 counted on 20 Mar.

Read the day's briefing

Somalia's news mentioned the hunger about 4 times as often as usual. 19 in every 100 of the day's 67,934 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 20 March 2022, a year earlier, the share was 23 in every 100, against 19 today. Kenya stood out: 37% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 24%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Malawi79 in 100 of its 80 stories · usually 54 · mostly disasters & accidents Somalia78 in 100 of its 60 stories · usually 68 · mostly disasters & accidents Syria75 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 64 · mostly disasters & accidents Niger71 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 43 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine66 in 100 of its 80 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Manhattan US270 stories about protests or strikes, of its 381 Washington US114 stories about protests or strikes, of its 363 London UK89 stories about protests or strikes, of its 237 Johannesburg South Africa68 stories about protests or strikes, of its 87 Paris France63 stories about protests or strikes, of its 116

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRwanda: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readLesotho: 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 lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIraq: 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: 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 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 readFiji: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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 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: too little coverage to readAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSpain: warmth about its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualNiamey, Niger -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 45 outletsAbalak, Niger -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 188 outletsSharpeville, South Africa -- rights & justice: 19 stories, carried by 13 outletsHelsinki, Finland -- health: 11 stories, carried by 20 outletsNebraska, US -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsMichigan, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 25 outletsPerth, Australia -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 15 outletsIstanbul, Türkiye -- disasters & accidents: 10 stories, carried by 11 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

● Niamey Niger about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Abalak Niger about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 17 stories ● Sharpeville South Africa about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 19 stories ● Helsinki Finland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Nebraska US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health32% 4,020 stories · about as usual Rights & justice28% 3,579 stories · more than usual (usually 25%) Disasters & accidents15% 1,877 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Conflict & violence12% 1,532 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 536 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood4% 521 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 517 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 171 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 killed2,808 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,554 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,206 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured758 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced158 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions124 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees114 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the UK and the US Stories reporting evacuations57 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill13 at about the usual rate

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.