← 15 May Tuesday 16 May 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 17 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
46,402 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to protests in Caracas (Venezuela), violence in Copenhagen and people killed in Mexico. Denmark's coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read harsher than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostDenmark 63 in 100 of its 335 stories, usually 23
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 29
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 →
Protests & strikes

Venezuela

449 of its 656 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Caracas accounted for 359 of Venezuela's 449 stories about harm, carried by 298 outlets. 348 of Caracas' 359 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (324 stories). Heavy rain was named in 35 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Conflict & violence

Denmark

212 of its 335 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Copenhagen accounted for 174 of Denmark's 212 stories about harm, carried by 140 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Denmark over 30 days → its stories → Copenhagen stories →
Rights & justice

Mexico

588 of its 1,281 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (461 stories). HIV was named in 46 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with malaria. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Jamaica

86 of its 252 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (21 stories). Flooding was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain.

Jamaica over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Papua New Guinea

90 of its 165 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 34 of Manus Island's 66 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Vietnam

170 of its 496 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 67 of Hanoi's 72 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (109 stories). Accidents were named in 73 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Central African Republic

156 of its 177 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 80%. Bangassou accounted for 108 of the Central African Republic's 156 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Côte d’Ivoire

197 of its 364 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Bouake accounted for 167 of Côte d’Ivoire's 197 stories about harm, carried by 159 outlets. 89 of Bouake's 167 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (66 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

Damascus accounted for 773 of Syria's 1,153 stories about harm, carried by 549 outlets. 455 of Damascus' 773 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (114 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Romania

72 of its 289 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (30 stories). Rubella was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: accidents in Vietnam (73 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); west nile virus in Sierra Leone (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Italy (20 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); rubella in Romania (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); typhoon in Philippines (31 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10017 Apr24 Apr1 May8 May16 May17 Apr: 23 in 10018 Apr: 20 in 10019 Apr: 21 in 10020 Apr: 21 in 10021 Apr: 22 in 10022 Apr: 23 in 10023 Apr: 22 in 10024 Apr: 22 in 10025 Apr: 21 in 10026 Apr: 20 in 10027 Apr: 20 in 10028 Apr: 20 in 10029 Apr: 20 in 10030 Apr: 21 in 1001 May: 22 in 1002 May: 21 in 1003 May: 21 in 1004 May: 21 in 1005 May: 21 in 1006 May: 23 in 1007 May: 24 in 1008 May: 20 in 1009 May: 20 in 10010 May: 20 in 10011 May: 19 in 10012 May: 20 in 10013 May: 22 in 10014 May: 20 in 10015 May: 20 in 10016 May: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 46,402 stories about harm among 234,054 counted on 16 May.

Read the day's briefing

In Jamaica's news, mentions of flooding ran about 5 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 234,054 stories, below the usual 21. Venezuela's news was 68% about people being harmed, against a usual 61%. A year earlier, on 16 May 2016, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Central African Republic88 in 100 of its 177 stories · usually 80 · mostly conflict & violence Congo86 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 77 · mostly health Yemen78 in 100 of its 366 stories · usually 75 · mostly health Somalia74 in 100 of its 110 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence Syria72 in 100 of its 1,602 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Damascus Syria455 stories about protests or strikes, of its 773 Washington US410 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2592 Caracas Venezuela348 stories about protests or strikes, of its 359 Mesa County US163 stories about protests or strikes, of its 190 Ramallah Palestine154 stories about protests or strikes, of its 170

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: 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: 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 lessTurkmenistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: 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: too little coverage to readSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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: 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 lessRomania: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: 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 lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsrael: 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: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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 lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: 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 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: 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: 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: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 readUganda: warmth about one and a half times its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSlovenia: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCôte d’Ivoire: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualChad: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAbyei, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 23 stories, carried by 21 outletsShoalwater Bay, Australia -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 26 stories, carried by 25 outletsBoyd County, US -- health: 31 stories, carried by 27 outletsLake Chad, Nigeria -- health: 23 stories, carried by 17 outletsBallarat, Australia -- health: 18 stories, carried by 14 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 35 outletsWest Virginia, US -- disasters & accidents: 45 stories, carried by 54 outletsPeterborough, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 14 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

● Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sri Lanka warmth about one and a half times usual ● Russia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Uganda warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Abyei Sudan about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 23 stories ● Shoalwater Bay Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 26 stories ● Boyd County US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 31 stories ● Lake Chad Nigeria about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories ● Ballarat Australia about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 13,759 stories · about as usual Health22% 9,935 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Conflict & violence20% 9,166 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 5,341 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,304 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,292 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,203 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,041 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 killed14,774 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected6,292 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,670 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people injured3,023 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Venezuela Stories reporting refugees1,141 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting abductions494 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced439 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations359 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill51 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 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

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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.