← 16 May Thursday 17 May 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 18 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
46,454 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 day's news pointed at protests in Conakry (Guinea), people killed in Ethiopia and illness in the Congo River. Ethiopia's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostGuinea 65 in 100 of its 96 stories, usually 21
RegionCentral Asia 20 in 100 of its stories, usually 12
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 →
Protests & strikes

Guinea

62 of its 96 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 8 of Conakry's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Malaria was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with haemorrhagic fever.

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

Ethiopia

75 of its 147 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Ethiopia over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Congo

616 of its 690 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. the Congo River accounted for 248 of Congo's 616 stories about harm, carried by 234 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (218 stories).

Congo over 30 days → its stories → Congo River stories →
Displacement

Colombia

82 of its 163 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Flooding was named in 50 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain.

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

Venezuela

254 of its 659 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. 175 of Caracas' 197 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (91 stories). Flooding was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 1,638 of Israel's 2,211 stories about harm, carried by 709 outlets. 1,202 of Jerusalem's 1,638 stories were about protests or strikes. Earthquake was named in 60 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with wildfires, heatwave and hurricane. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Burundi

Bujumbura accounted for 105 of Burundi's 148 stories about harm, carried by 184 outlets. 58 of Bujumbura's 105 stories were about protests or strikes. Drownings were named in 86 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Uzbekistan

35 of its 80 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. 3 of Tashkent's 6 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Central African Republic

66 of its 72 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 78%. Alindao accounted for 43 of the Central African Republic's 66 stories about harm, carried by 45 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Poland

135 of its 364 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Road crashes were named in 22 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drownings in Burundi (86 of its stories, about three times its usual); drownings in France (63 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Poland (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Sri Lanka (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Canada (124 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 20 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10018 Apr25 Apr2 May9 May17 May18 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 1009 May: 20 in 10010 May: 21 in 10011 May: 20 in 10012 May: 22 in 10013 May: 24 in 10014 May: 22 in 10015 May: 22 in 10016 May: 20 in 10017 May: 21 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 46,454 stories about harm among 224,370 counted on 17 May.

Read the day's briefing

In Guinea, 65% of the news was about people being harmed, where 21% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 224,370 stories, as usual. Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. In Burundi's news, mentions of drownings ran about three times their usual. On 17 May 2017, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Central African Republic92 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 78 · mostly conflict & violence Congo89 in 100 of its 690 stories · usually 70 · mostly health DR Congo88 in 100 of its 137 stories · usually 65 · mostly health Nicaragua85 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 82 · mostly rights & justice Yemen78 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 72 · mostly displacement

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel1202 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1638 Washington US305 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2081 Caracas Venezuela175 stories about protests or strikes, of its 197 Arkansas US123 stories about protests or strikes, of its 168 Xinjiang China106 stories about protests or strikes, of its 168

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 lessPuerto Rico: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited States: too little coverage to readSouth 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 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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 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 lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readOman: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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 readNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl Salvador: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 lessCape Verde: too little coverage to readCameroon: 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 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 lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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 readArgentina: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): 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: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: 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 usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualUganda: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSouth Sudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPakistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualNorth Korea: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualCentral African Republic: warmth about twice its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualBulgaria: warmth about its own usualBosnia: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualAlindao, Central African Republic -- conflict & violence: 43 stories, carried by 45 outletsTrenton, US -- health: 56 stories, carried by 71 outletsLashkar, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 18 stories, carried by 15 outletsKentucky, US -- health: 64 stories, carried by 121 outletsSkopje, North Macedonia -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsConakry, Guinea -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsHangzhou, China -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsPrince Edward Island, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 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

● Central African Republic warmth about twice usual ● Poland warmth about one and a half times usual ● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Pakistan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Alindao Central African Republic about 4 times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 43 stories ● Trenton US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 56 stories ● Lashkar Pakistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 18 stories ● Kentucky US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 64 stories ● Skopje North Macedonia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice31% 14,094 stories · about as usual Health21% 9,713 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence17% 7,943 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents16% 7,319 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,713 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,731 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,138 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 936 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 killed12,995 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests6,315 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected5,373 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured4,227 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations1,023 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting refugees551 at about half the usual rate · most about Israel and Bangladesh Stories reporting people displaced404 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions399 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill139 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 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

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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.