← 7 May Tuesday 8 May 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 9 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
42,275 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 →

Heavy rain in Rwanda, protests in Bujumbura (Burundi) and people killed in Congo drew the news. Rwanda's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostCongo 82 in 100 of its 250 stories, usually 51
RegionEast Asia 16 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Disasters & accidents

Rwanda

109 of its 187 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Karongi accounted for 81 of Rwanda's 109 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (71 stories). Heavy rain was named in 90 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories → Karongi stories →
Protests & strikes

Burundi

79 of its 97 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Bujumbura accounted for 63 of Burundi's 79 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. 51 of Bujumbura's 63 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (56 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Burundi over 30 days → its stories → Bujumbura stories →
Health

Congo

204 of its 250 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (167 stories). Haemorrhagic fever was named in 98 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Congo over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

302 of its 674 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Pyongyang accounted for 230 of North Korea's 302 stories about harm, carried by 301 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (238 stories). Hunger was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with drought.

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

Ukraine

146 of its 329 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (47 stories). Poisoning was named in 79 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

213 of its 266 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (87 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Tanzania

59 of its 133 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (10 stories). Wildfires were named in 32 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Japan

456 of its 1,801 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

386 of its 538 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Damascus accounted for 244 of Syria's 386 stories about harm, carried by 407 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Kenya

231 of its 655 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (38 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: poisoning in Ukraine (79 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Tanzania (32 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Armenia (46 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); heavy rain in Jamaica (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cholera in Uganda (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 22 the day before
25 in 10019 in 1009 Apr16 Apr23 Apr30 Apr8 May9 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 1003 May: 20 in 1004 May: 20 in 1005 May: 23 in 1006 May: 24 in 1007 May: 22 in 1008 May: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 42,275 stories about harm among 207,152 counted on 8 May.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 207,152 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 8 May 2017, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo82 in 100 of its 250 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Burundi81 in 100 of its 97 stories · usually 66 · mostly rights & justice Libya80 in 100 of its 266 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen74 in 100 of its 177 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Syria72 in 100 of its 538 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel203 stories about protests or strikes, of its 389 Washington US139 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2693 Tehran Iran129 stories about protests or strikes, of its 946 Moscow Russia85 stories about protests or strikes, of its 196 Damascus Syria76 stories about protests or strikes, of its 244

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: too little coverage to readSyria: 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 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSão Tomé: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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: 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 readOman: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: 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 lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth 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: 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: 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 lessJamaica: too little coverage to readItaly: 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 lessIraq: about as warm as its own usual or lessIran: 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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 readFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe 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: 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 lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readChina: about as warm as its own usual or lessHong Kong: 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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 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 readAntigua & 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: 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 lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLibya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualHonduras: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualCosta Rica: warmth about its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualNevada, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsLa Sabana, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsJuba, South Sudan -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 17 outletsBogota, Colombia -- conflict & violence: 26 stories, carried by 18 outletsNew Mexico, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsDalian, China -- disasters & accidents: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsRas Lanuf, Libya -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 15 outletsBeira, Mozambique -- conflict & violence: 12 stories, carried by 11 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

● Libya warmth about one and a half times usual ● Japan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Malaysia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Nevada US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● La Sabana Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Juba South Sudan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories ● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 26 stories ● New Mexico US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 12,784 stories · about as usual Health21% 8,887 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 7,260 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents15% 6,395 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 3,066 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,311 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 891 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 842 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 killed12,365 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,547 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,952 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,704 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting refugees752 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations619 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions435 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced295 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Colombia and the US Stories reporting people falling ill39 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Cambodia

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 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.