← 1 May Wednesday 2 May 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 3 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
42,336 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 protests in Bangui (Central African Republic), violence in Tripoli and power cuts in Portugal. the Central African Republic's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMadagascar 92 in 100 of its 209 stories, usually 41
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Central African Republic

136 of its 146 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 81%. Bangui accounted for 126 of the Central African Republic's 136 stories about harm, carried by 121 outlets. 68 of Bangui's 126 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (83 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Central African Republic over 30 days → its stories → Bangui stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

431 of its 494 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Tripoli accounted for 415 of Libya's 431 stories about harm, carried by 345 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (165 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Shelter & services

Portugal

33 of its 214 stories (15%) were about people being harmed, usually 8%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (20 stories). Power cuts were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

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

France

611 of its 2,410 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 398 of Paris' 450 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (354 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

117 of its 203 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Mogadishu accounted for 75 of Somalia's 117 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Heavy rain was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

China

152 of Huajian's 197 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (227 stories). Hepatitis was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Colombia

204 of its 295 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (166 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Puerto Rico

154 of its 240 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (76 stories). Chikungunya was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with plague and west nile virus.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Cuba

45 of its 138 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Drownings were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Tanzania (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); building collapse in Brazil (43 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); heavy rain in Somalia (25 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in Greece (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Cuba (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 19 the day before
25 in 10019 in 1003 Apr10 Apr17 Apr24 Apr2 May3 Apr: 20 in 1004 Apr: 21 in 1005 Apr: 21 in 1006 Apr: 20 in 1007 Apr: 22 in 1008 Apr: 23 in 1009 Apr: 21 in 10010 Apr: 20 in 10011 Apr: 20 in 10012 Apr: 20 in 10013 Apr: 20 in 10014 Apr: 25 in 10015 Apr: 24 in 10016 Apr: 22 in 10017 Apr: 21 in 10018 Apr: 21 in 10019 Apr: 20 in 10020 Apr: 21 in 10021 Apr: 24 in 10022 Apr: 24 in 10023 Apr: 22 in 10024 Apr: 22 in 10025 Apr: 21 in 10026 Apr: 20 in 10027 Apr: 20 in 10028 Apr: 21 in 10029 Apr: 21 in 10030 Apr: 20 in 1001 May: 19 in 1002 May: 19 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 42,336 stories about harm among 218,219 counted on 2 May.

Read the day's briefing

For the second day running, the news turned to the Central African Republic. On 2 May 2017, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 19 today. 19 in every 100 of the day's 218,219 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. In the Central African Republic, 93% of the news was about people being harmed, where 81% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Central African Republic93 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 81 · mostly conflict & violence Madagascar92 in 100 of its 209 stories · usually 41 · mostly health Libya87 in 100 of its 494 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Myanmar84 in 100 of its 169 stories · usually 65 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan73 in 100 of its 458 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Paris France398 stories about protests or strikes, of its 450 Washington US240 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1513 Yerevan Armenia162 stories about protests or strikes, of its 171 Tripoli Libya158 stories about protests or strikes, of its 415 Charlottesville US157 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182

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 lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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 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 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 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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 lessMexico: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLiberia: 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 lessKenya: 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 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 lessIreland: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: 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 readGreece: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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 lessBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: 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 lessAustralia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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 readVenezuela: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualMadagascar: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualChad: warmth about its own usualBolivia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualArmenia: 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 usualBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 27 outletsDarfur, Sudan -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsMinnesota, US -- displacement: 83 stories, carried by 77 outletsLisbon, Portugal -- shelter & services: 23 stories, carried by 18 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsBonn, Germany -- disasters & accidents: 19 stories, carried by 11 outletsWarrnambool, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsTweed Heads, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 19 stories, carried by 10 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

● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Libya warmth about one and a half times usual ● Poland warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 29 stories ● Darfur Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Minnesota US about twice as warm as the day's news · displacement · 83 stories ● Lisbon Portugal about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 23 stories ● Calgary Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice30% 12,360 stories · about as usual Health22% 9,187 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence16% 6,531 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents15% 6,369 stories · more than usual (usually 13%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 2,788 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,630 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 1,387 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,313 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 killed12,482 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,482 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,740 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,149 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Libya Stories reporting refugees786 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions511 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced394 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations365 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill125 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 softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less 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

Read the week →

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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.