← 19 May Friday 20 May 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
58,955 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 violence in Egyptair, a disaster in Colombo and illness in Dakar. Egypt's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada → Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSri Lanka 70 in 100 of its 916 stories, usually 39
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
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 →
Conflict & violence

Egypt

3,642 of its 5,343 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Egyptair accounted for 3,518 of Egypt's 3,642 stories about harm, carried by 2,115 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

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

Niger

37 of its 47 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Diffa accounted for 34 of Niger's 37 stories about harm, carried by 24 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mali

109 of its 128 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Kidal accounted for 78 of Mali's 109 stories about harm, carried by 81 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (92 stories). Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sierra Leone

65 of its 99 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (29 stories). Malaria was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

1,642 of its 3,524 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (751 stories). Wildfires were named in 73 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with drownings.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kazakhstan

40 of its 141 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. 21 of Almaty's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (22 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Tanzania

65 of its 203 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: ebola in Brazil (101 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Guyana (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tuberculosis in South Africa (104 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); malaria in Sierra Leone (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); landslides in Philippines (48 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
22 in 10018 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 Apr: 19 in 10022 Apr: 20 in 10023 Apr: 21 in 10024 Apr: 21 in 10025 Apr: 19 in 10026 Apr: 19 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 19 in 10029 Apr: 19 in 10030 Apr: 19 in 1001 May: 20 in 1002 May: 19 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 20 in 1005 May: 20 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 21 in 1008 May: 22 in 1009 May: 20 in 10010 May: 20 in 10011 May: 19 in 10012 May: 19 in 10013 May: 19 in 10014 May: 22 in 10015 May: 22 in 10016 May: 19 in 10017 May: 20 in 10018 May: 20 in 10019 May: 20 in 10020 May: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 May. 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 58,955 stories about harm among 295,704 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. of the day's 295,704 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Brazil's news mentioned Ebola more than ten times as often as usual. Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. For the second day running, the news turned to Egypt.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Mali85 in 100 of its 128 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan73 in 100 of its 156 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Syria71 in 100 of its 589 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka70 in 100 of its 916 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Senegal68 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 32 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US328 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2436 San Francisco US302 stories about protests or strikes, of its 760 Baghdad Iraq270 stories about protests or strikes, of its 342 Chibok Nigeria231 stories about protests or strikes, of its 865 Jerusalem Israel183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 655

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: too little coverage to readYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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 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: 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 lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: 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: 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 lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: 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 lessNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: too little coverage to readNiger: 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: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: 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: 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 lessPalestine: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: too little coverage to readIceland: 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 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 lessGeorgia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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 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: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: too little coverage to readChile: too little coverage to readCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: 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: 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 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: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: too little coverage to readAksai 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: too little coverage to readSiachen Glacier: too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: too little coverage to readVatican 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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 readVietnam: warmth about one and a half times its own usualVanuatu: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorway: warmth about one and a half times its own usualWestern Sahara: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about twice its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIraq: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEcuador: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualChad: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualWestern Sahara: warmth about its own usualWestern Sahara: warmth about its own usualKidal, Mali -- conflict & violence: 78 stories, carried by 81 outletsAurukun, Australia -- displacement: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsGrady County, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsMogadishu, Somalia -- conflict & violence: 21 stories, carried by 20 outletsSaigon, Vietnam -- conflict & violence: 35 stories, carried by 32 outletsFrench Riviera, France -- health: 41 stories, carried by 48 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 162 stories, carried by 152 outletsAtlantic City, US -- health: 162 stories, carried by 203 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

● Mali warmth about twice usual ● Kenya warmth about one and a half times usual ● Iraq warmth about one and a half times usual ● Somalia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Norway warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kidal Mali about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 78 stories ● Aurukun Australia about three times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 13 stories ● Grady County US about three times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 12 stories ● Mogadishu Somalia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 21 stories ● Saigon Vietnam about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 35 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 15,625 stories · about as usual Health22% 12,956 stories · more than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence22% 12,801 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 7,695 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,832 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,808 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,699 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,257 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 killed18,330 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected8,325 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests7,590 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,021 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions1,454 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees1,195 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced765 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations418 at about half the usual rate · most about Sri Lanka and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill413 at about 4 times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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.

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