← 30 May Thursday 31 May 2018 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Jun →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
41,984 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to illness in Banjul, protests in Managua (Nicaragua) and arrests in Romania. Nicaragua's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostGambia 68 in 100 of its 212 stories, usually 23
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Health

Gambia

145 of its 212 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Banjul accounted for 135 of the Gambia's 145 stories about harm, carried by 148 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (123 stories). HIV was named in 134 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Gambia over 30 days → its stories → Banjul stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

319 of its 350 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 76%. Managua accounted for 283 of Nicaragua's 319 stories about harm, carried by 222 outlets. 242 of Managua's 283 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (112 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Nicaragua over 30 days → its stories → Managua stories →
Rights & justice

Romania

171 of its 419 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Drownings were named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Romania over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Damascus accounted for 231 of Syria's 476 stories about harm, carried by 166 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (83 stories). Hunger was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Damascus stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice

Lithuania

50 of its 97 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Bolivia

49 of its 82 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (47 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Belgium

206 of its 393 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Brussels accounted for 147 of Belgium's 206 stories about harm, carried by 145 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Finland

75 of its 285 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Guatemala

38 of its 93 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 156 of Afghanistan's 255 stories about harm, carried by 125 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (54 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hiv in Chile (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Mexico (35 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); polio in South Sudan (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Myanmar (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Ukraine (27 of its stories, about three times its usual).

20 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 21; 21 the day before
24 in 10019 in 1002 May9 May16 May23 May31 May2 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 10022 May: 20 in 10023 May: 19 in 10024 May: 20 in 10025 May: 21 in 10026 May: 22 in 10027 May: 22 in 10028 May: 23 in 10029 May: 23 in 10030 May: 21 in 10031 May: 20 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 41,984 stories about harm among 213,317 counted on 31 May.

Read the day's briefing

The Gambia's news was 68% about people being harmed, against a usual 23%. In the Gambia's news, mentions of HIV ran more than ten times their usual. On 31 May 2017, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 20 today. 20 in every 100 of the day's 213,317 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 21.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Nicaragua91 in 100 of its 350 stories · usually 76 · mostly rights & justice Puerto Rico73 in 100 of its 348 stories · usually 53 · mostly disasters & accidents Gambia68 in 100 of its 212 stories · usually 23 · mostly health Syria68 in 100 of its 701 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan67 in 100 of its 379 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Managua Nicaragua242 stories about protests or strikes, of its 283 Washington US224 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2336 Las Vegas US195 stories about protests or strikes, of its 286 Jerusalem Israel187 stories about protests or strikes, of its 545 Hollywood US172 stories about protests or strikes, of its 531

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: 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 lessSri Lanka: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSamoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: 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 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 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: about as warm as its own usual or lessLibya: 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: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: 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 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 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: 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: 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 lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: 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 lessChile: 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 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 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: 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 lessAustralia: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUganda: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualPoland: warmth about its own usualPhilippines: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDR Congo: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualMyanmar: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about its own usualAlbania: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualLochcarron, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 42 outletsKigali, Rwanda -- health: 18 stories, carried by 15 outletsGympie, Australia -- health: 15 stories, carried by 22 outletsEllicott City, US -- health: 249 stories, carried by 263 outletsFlorida, US -- rights & justice: 264 stories, carried by 260 outletsVienna, Austria -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsBasildon, UK -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 12 outletsBallarat, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 18 stories, carried by 34 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

● Cuba warmth about one and a half times usual ● Indonesia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Lochcarron UK about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Kigali Rwanda about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Gympie Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Ellicott City US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 249 stories ● Florida US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 264 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice33% 13,490 stories · more than usual (usually 30%) Health21% 8,795 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents18% 7,303 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 5,686 stories · less than usual (usually 18%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 2,498 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 1,527 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 1,012 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 858 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 killed11,661 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,846 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected4,707 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,410 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nicaragua Stories reporting refugees608 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions331 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations321 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Australia Stories reporting people displaced312 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Syria Stories reporting people falling ill31 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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.

● Angerabout as 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.