← 20 May Monday 21 May 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 22 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
38,814 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 landslides in Sri Lanka, protests in Bamenda (Cameroon) and people falling ill in Romania. Ukraine's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were softer than usual.

Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostBahrain 56 in 100 of its 142 stories, usually 17
RegionSouth Asia 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 →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

179 of its 307 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories). Landslides were named in 81 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drought. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Cameroon

104 of its 139 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Bamenda accounted for 78 of Cameroon's 104 stories about harm, carried by 89 outlets. 77 of Bamenda's 78 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (82 stories).

Cameroon over 30 days → its stories → Bamenda stories →
Health

Romania

83 of its 265 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 8%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (75 stories). Food poisoning was named in 75 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Romania over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Ukraine

170 of its 341 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (92 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

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

Cuba

324 of its 430 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Havana accounted for 281 of Cuba's 324 stories about harm, carried by 222 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (299 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Nepal

194 of its 371 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (150 stories). Avalanche was named in 58 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Palestine

538 of its 930 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Ramallah accounted for 433 of Palestine's 538 stories about harm, carried by 148 outlets. 283 of Ramallah's 433 stories were about protests or strikes. Respiratory illness was named in 152 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

Managua accounted for 83 of Nicaragua's 94 stories about harm, carried by 75 outlets. 73 of Managua's 83 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (41 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Somalia

133 of its 162 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (59 stories). Cyclone was named in 65 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

229 of its 626 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 98 of Bangkok's 163 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (70 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Somalia (65 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Malawi (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Palestine (152 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Nepal (58 of its stories, about three times its usual); nipah virus in India (364 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 23 the day before
24 in 10019 in 10022 Apr29 Apr6 May13 May21 May22 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 10021 May: 21 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 38,814 stories about harm among 187,756 counted on 21 May.

Read the day's briefing

Romania's news mentioned food poisoning more than ten times as often as usual. 21 in every 100 of the day's 187,756 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about twice the usual rate. the news turned to Sri Lanka for the second day running. Sri Lanka's news was 58% about people being harmed, against a usual 27%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Congo95 in 100 of its 391 stories · usually 81 · mostly health DR Congo94 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 77 · mostly health Nicaragua89 in 100 of its 106 stories · usually 83 · mostly rights & justice Syria84 in 100 of its 939 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia82 in 100 of its 162 stories · usually 58 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel457 stories about protests or strikes, of its 764 Ramallah Palestine283 stories about protests or strikes, of its 433 Houston US141 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1394 Caracas Venezuela136 stories about protests or strikes, of its 208 Seattle US132 stories about protests or strikes, of its 263

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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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 readTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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 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 readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Korea: 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 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: 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 lessMexico: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth Macedonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLatvia: 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 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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 lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: 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 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: about as warm as its own usual or lessYemen: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualOman: warmth about its own usualLibya: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualDR Congo: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChile: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualIowa, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 24 stories, carried by 16 outletsSochi, Russia -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 24 outletsRamgarh, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 11 outletsNevada, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsGhazni, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 15 outletsKogi, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 22 stories, carried by 17 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 68 stories, carried by 84 outletsYuzhnoye, Ukraine -- conflict & violence: 60 stories, carried by 62 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

● Chile warmth about one and a half times usual ● Greece warmth about one and a half times usual ● DR Congo warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Iowa US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 24 stories ● Sochi Russia about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories ● Ramgarh Pakistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 20 stories ● Nevada US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Ghazni Afghanistan about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice27% 10,424 stories · less than usual (usually 31%) Health23% 8,601 stories · more than usual (usually 20%) Disasters & accidents18% 6,671 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence17% 6,359 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given8% 2,871 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,168 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,009 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 980 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 killed13,434 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests5,318 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,255 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,361 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations500 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions381 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Ireland Stories reporting refugees369 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting people displaced296 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill105 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
● 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

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.