← 19 May Sunday 20 May 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,331 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 Jerusalem (Israel), a disaster in Havana and storms in Sri Lanka drew the news. Sri Lanka's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada →
Part of lifeRights & justice 26 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostCuba 85 in 100 of its 818 stories, usually 39
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 27
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

Israel

1,069 of its 1,499 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Jerusalem accounted for 688 of Israel's 1,069 stories about harm, carried by 214 outlets. 430 of Jerusalem's 688 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (137 stories). Natural hazards were named in 99 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Disasters & accidents

Cuba

695 of its 818 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Havana accounted for 665 of Cuba's 695 stories about harm, carried by 741 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (670 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Cuba over 30 days → its stories → Havana stories →
Conflict & violence

Sri Lanka

140 of its 254 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Storms were named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with landslides. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Brazil

153 of its 250 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Maranhao accounted for 91 of Brazil's 153 stories about harm, carried by 102 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 9 times the usual rate (101 stories). Drought was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

568 of its 649 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Damascus accounted for 284 of Syria's 568 stories about harm, carried by 225 outlets. Outbreaks were named in 177 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

40 of its 83 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 19 of Bogota's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Greece

91 of its 219 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sudan

66 of its 93 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Khartoum accounted for 44 of Sudan's 66 stories about harm, carried by 64 outlets. Its coverage was about 4 times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Madagascar

24 of its 28 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. 19 of Antananarivo's 23 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: avalanche in Nepal (42 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); outbreaks in Syria (177 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); extreme cold in Argentina (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Italy (18 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); cyclone in Somalia (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

23 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 23 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 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 10018 May: 22 in 10019 May: 23 in 10020 May: 23 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 22,331 stories about harm among 98,959 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Canada. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 98,959 stories, above the usual 21. Mentions of the avalanche ran about 9 times their usual in Nepal's news. On 20 May 2017, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 23 today. Israel stood out: 71% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 57%. This week the news turned most often to Israel, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 4 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo91 in 100 of its 364 stories · usually 80 · mostly health Syria88 in 100 of its 649 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Cuba85 in 100 of its 818 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Israel71 in 100 of its 1,499 stories · usually 57 · mostly rights & justice Sudan71 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 53 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel430 stories about protests or strikes, of its 688 Lowndes County US110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 150 Washington US109 stories about protests or strikes, of its 581 Ramallah Palestine82 stories about protests or strikes, of its 98 Gaza Palestine70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 226

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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readSomalia: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: about as warm as its own usual or lessSaudi Arabia: too little coverage to readSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRussia: 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: 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 readPakistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: 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 lessIraq: 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 lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCosta 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 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: warmth about its own usualVenezuela: warmth about one and a half times its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about one and a half times its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualCanada: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualBogota, Colombia -- rights & justice: 22 stories, carried by 22 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- disasters & accidents: 42 stories, carried by 121 outletsFrench Riviera, France -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsDenver, US -- rights & justice: 49 stories, carried by 64 outletsOregon, US -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsNiger Delta, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsGhazni, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 18 outletsCaracas, Venezuela -- food & livelihood: 142 stories, carried by 127 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

● Venezuela warmth about one and a half times usual ● Afghanistan warmth about one and a half times usual ● France warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Bogota Colombia about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 22 stories ● Edinburgh UK about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 42 stories ● French Riviera France about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 13 stories ● Denver US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 49 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice26% 5,758 stories · less than usual (usually 31%) Disasters & accidents21% 4,616 stories · much more than usual (usually 15%) Health19% 4,216 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence18% 3,893 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given8% 1,749 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 753 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 506 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 439 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 killed8,127 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,037 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,734 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,498 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations990 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions219 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees197 at about half the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and the US Stories reporting people displaced126 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting people falling ill46 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India

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
● 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.