← 21 May Sunday 22 May 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 23 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
34,106 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 →

Protests in Hanoi (Vietnam), deaths in Santiago and people displaced in Indonesia drew the news. Chile's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostChile 77 in 100 of its 276 stories, usually 27
RegionCentral Asia 39 in 100 of its stories, usually 20
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Vietnam

707 of its 1,263 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 262 of Hanoi's 436 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 8 times the usual rate (15 stories). Plane crash was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories → Hanoi stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Chile

212 of its 276 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Santiago accounted for 166 of Chile's 212 stories about harm, carried by 219 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (200 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Chile over 30 days → its stories → Santiago stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

595 of its 757 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (29 stories). Avalanche was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Indonesia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

North Korea

106 of its 151 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Pyongyang accounted for 102 of North Korea's 106 stories about harm, carried by 107 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (96 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Bangladesh

373 of its 610 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (121 stories). Storm surge was named in 93 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding, heavy rain and drownings. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Japan

264 of its 1,090 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (7 stories). Flu was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

407 of its 600 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Colombo accounted for 283 of Sri Lanka's 407 stories about harm, carried by 266 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (301 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Austria

594 of its 1,253 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (413 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Kazakhstan

45 of its 89 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 36 of Almaty's 37 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (40 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

240 of its 504 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Bangkok accounted for 216 of Thailand's 240 stories about harm, carried by 182 outlets. 188 of Bangkok's 216 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hypothermia in Nepal (267 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Mexico (143 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storm surge in Bangladesh (93 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Australia (108 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Kenya (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 22 the day before
23 in 10018 in 10023 Apr30 Apr7 May14 May22 May23 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 10021 May: 22 in 10022 May: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 34,106 stories about harm among 150,916 counted on 22 May.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the highest since 17 April 2016. 23 in every 100 of the day's 150,916 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 20. On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate. Nepal's news mentioned the hypothermia more than ten times as often as usual. Vietnam's news was 56% about people being harmed, against a usual 27%. This week the news turned most often to Sri Lanka, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 4 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen82 in 100 of its 229 stories · usually 82 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia79 in 100 of its 757 stories · usually 37 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan78 in 100 of its 2,194 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Chile77 in 100 of its 276 stories · usually 27 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Syria73 in 100 of its 929 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Baghdad Iraq271 stories about protests or strikes, of its 342 Hanoi Vietnam262 stories about protests or strikes, of its 436 Washington US204 stories about protests or strikes, of its 865 Kabul Afghanistan196 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1273 Bangkok Thailand188 stories about protests or strikes, of its 216

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 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: 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: too little coverage to readTonga: 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 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: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: too little coverage to readSri 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: 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 lessNigeria: 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 lessIreland: 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: too little coverage to readGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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 readCuba: 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: too little coverage to readDR 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 lessChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessCambodia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelgium: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelarus: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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: 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 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualVietnam: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTajikistan: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCyprus: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBurundi: warmth about its own usualBelize: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualDiyarbakir, Türkiye -- conflict & violence: 79 stories, carried by 88 outletsFrench Riviera, France -- food & livelihood: 74 stories, carried by 101 outletsPalais, France -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 17 outletsVirginia Beach, US -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsMacomb, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsBujumbura, Burundi -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 12 outletsMasara, Kenya -- health: 16 stories, carried by 26 outletsAnkara, Türkiye -- conflict & violence: 244 stories, carried by 224 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

● Iraq warmth about one and a half times usual ● Türkiye warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual ● North Korea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kenya warmth about one and a half times usual ● France warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Diyarbakir Türkiye about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 79 stories ● French Riviera France about twice as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 74 stories ● Palais France about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Virginia Beach US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 13 stories ● Macomb US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence29% 9,848 stories · much more than usual (usually 21%) Rights & justice22% 7,456 stories · much less than usual (usually 29%) Disasters & accidents17% 5,695 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Health16% 5,469 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given9% 2,874 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 840 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 758 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 668 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 killed12,797 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Egypt Stories reporting people affected3,804 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,174 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Austria Stories reporting arrests2,926 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees520 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and Türkiye Stories reporting abductions461 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations363 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced327 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill74 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

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