← 20 May Sunday 21 May 2017 · to 23:59 UTC 22 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,423 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 Caracas (Venezuela), illness in Conakry and people displaced in Tripoli drew the news. Nepal's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was about as usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeConflict & violence 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual Country that rose mostBahrain 66 in 100 of its 220 stories, usually 16
RegionSouth Asia 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
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

Venezuela

186 of its 251 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 67%. Caracas accounted for 148 of Venezuela's 186 stories about harm, carried by 130 outlets. 141 of Caracas' 148 stories were about protests or strikes. Heavy rain was named in 25 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.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Health

Guinea

143 of its 172 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Conakry accounted for 142 of Guinea's 143 stories about harm, carried by 164 outlets. Tuberculosis was named in 143 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with malaria, polio and drought. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Guinea over 30 days → its stories → Conakry stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

117 of its 130 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Tripoli accounted for 81 of Libya's 117 stories about harm, carried by 56 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

268 of its 434 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories). Avalanche was named in 154 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with hypothermia. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Cambodia

83 of its 109 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Phnom Penh accounted for 78 of Cambodia's 83 stories about harm, carried by 88 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (67 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

2,328 of its 4,761 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Riyadh accounted for 1,995 of Saudi Arabia's 2,328 stories about harm, carried by 1,224 outlets. Drownings were named in 57 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Syria

447 of its 566 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Idlib accounted for 257 of Syria's 447 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. 159 of Idlib's 257 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Bahrain

145 of its 220 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 13 of Manama's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Kuwait

39 of its 79 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Health

China

448 of its 1,484 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Bird flu was named in 31 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with flu.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: extreme cold in Norway (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Tanzania (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Indonesia (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Sweden (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Kashmir (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 22 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10022 Apr29 Apr6 May13 May21 May22 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 10017 May: 20 in 10018 May: 20 in 10019 May: 21 in 10020 May: 22 in 10021 May: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 23,423 stories about harm among 106,489 counted on 21 May.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of tuberculosis ran more than ten times their usual in Guinea's news. of the day's 106,489 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 21. Reports of people freed or reunited, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Venezuela's news was 74% about people being harmed, against a usual 67%. A year earlier, on 21 May 2016, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today. This week the news turned most often to the Central African Republic, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 2 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Libya90 in 100 of its 130 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Guinea83 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 39 · mostly health Syria79 in 100 of its 566 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Cambodia76 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 39 · mostly conflict & violence Venezuela74 in 100 of its 251 stories · usually 67 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Idlib Syria159 stories about protests or strikes, of its 257 Riyadh Saudi Arabia149 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1995 Caracas Venezuela141 stories about protests or strikes, of its 148 Washington US137 stories about protests or strikes, of its 924 Sao Paulo Brazil105 stories about protests or strikes, of its 110

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: 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: too little coverage to readTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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 lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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: 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 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 readSão 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 lessRussia: 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 lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Korea: about as warm as its own usual or lessNigeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessNicaragua: too little coverage to readNew 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: 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 lessItaly: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEgypt: about as warm as its own usual or lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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 readCyprus: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHeard & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern 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: 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: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: 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 readThailand: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSenegal: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorway: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualEl Salvador: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualJonkoping, Sweden -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsFrench Riviera, France -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 17 outletsWaterville, US -- rights & justice: 56 stories, carried by 55 outletsBasij, Iran -- conflict & violence: 23 stories, carried by 24 outletsIllinois, US -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsTehran, Iran -- conflict & violence: 230 stories, carried by 219 outletsParis, France -- conflict & violence: 42 stories, carried by 41 outletsAndover, UK -- health: 13 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

● Norway warmth about one and a half times usual ● Sweden warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kuwait warmth about one and a half times usual ● Philippines warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Jonkoping Sweden about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● French Riviera France about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories ● Waterville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 56 stories ● Basij Iran about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 23 stories ● Illinois US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Conflict & violence31% 7,053 stories · much more than usual (usually 22%) Rights & justice26% 5,938 stories · less than usual (usually 30%) Health18% 4,067 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents14% 3,187 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,423 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 495 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 477 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 347 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 killed6,710 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,961 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,681 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected2,526 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions474 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced327 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees294 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Syria and the US Stories reporting evacuations276 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Kuwait Stories reporting people falling ill31 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
● 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.