← 16 May Friday 17 May 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 18 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
34,986 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 news turned to protests in Managua (Nicaragua), violence in Tehran and storms in Nepal. Nicaragua's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 28 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNicaragua 89 in 100 of its 123 stories, usually 54
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
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 →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

110 of its 123 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Managua accounted for 99 of Nicaragua's 110 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. 78 of Managua's 99 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (79 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Nicaragua over 30 days → its stories → Managua stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

1,037 of its 2,110 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Tehran accounted for 936 of Iran's 1,037 stories about harm, carried by 868 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (72 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Health

Nepal

140 of its 256 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories). Storms were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Taiwan

352 of its 846 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 231 of Taipei's 293 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (49 stories). Heavy rain was named in 45 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

145 of its 174 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Sanaa accounted for 107 of Yemen's 145 stories about harm, carried by 77 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Cuba

70 of its 178 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Drownings were named in 43 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Croatia

47 of its 77 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. 43 of Zagreb's 45 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Morocco

65 of its 138 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 27 of Rabat's 34 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (29 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

South Korea

151 of its 540 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (45 stories). Drought was named in 32 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with hunger.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drownings in Cuba (43 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in North Korea (22 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); drought in South Korea (32 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); hiv in Pakistan (60 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Taiwan (45 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
23 in 10018 in 10018 Apr25 Apr2 May9 May17 May18 Apr: 18 in 10019 Apr: 19 in 10020 Apr: 20 in 10021 Apr: 23 in 10022 Apr: 21 in 10023 Apr: 20 in 10024 Apr: 20 in 10025 Apr: 20 in 10026 Apr: 19 in 10027 Apr: 20 in 10028 Apr: 23 in 10029 Apr: 21 in 10030 Apr: 20 in 1001 May: 20 in 1002 May: 19 in 1003 May: 21 in 1004 May: 21 in 1005 May: 21 in 1006 May: 20 in 1007 May: 19 in 1008 May: 19 in 1009 May: 18 in 10010 May: 18 in 10011 May: 19 in 10012 May: 20 in 10013 May: 18 in 10014 May: 19 in 10015 May: 18 in 10016 May: 19 in 10017 May: 19 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 34,986 stories about harm among 187,369 counted on 17 May.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of drownings ran more than ten times their usual in Cuba's news. of the day's 187,369 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. Nicaragua stood out: 89% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 54%. On 17 May 2018, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Nicaragua89 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 54 · mostly rights & justice Burkina Faso88 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 79 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen83 in 100 of its 174 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Mali71 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 261 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US466 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1691 Taipei Taiwan231 stories about protests or strikes, of its 293 Missouri US146 stories about protests or strikes, of its 637 Moscow Russia123 stories about protests or strikes, of its 295 Beijing China102 stories about protests or strikes, of its 356

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 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: 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra 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: 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 lessRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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 lessParaguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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 readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: 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: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIreland: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: 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 readFrance: 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 readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: too little coverage to readEstonia: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: 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 readCuba: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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 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 lessAlbania: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSt. Lucia: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNetherlands: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMozambique: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualCroatia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualColombia: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualBurkina Faso: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMarapana, Sri Lanka -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsBoise, US -- disasters & accidents: 89 stories, carried by 76 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 13 outletsRobbinsville, US -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 20 stories, carried by 22 outletsBogota, Colombia -- rights & justice: 25 stories, carried by 26 outletsKaduna, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsXinjiang, China -- conflict & violence: 23 stories, carried by 34 outletsNorthumbria, UK -- health: 21 stories, carried by 60 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

● Taiwan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Burkina Faso warmth about one and a half times usual ● Papua New Guinea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Croatia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mozambique warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Marapana Sri Lanka about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 15 stories ● Boise US about twice as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 89 stories ● Stockholm Sweden about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 11 stories ● Robbinsville US about twice as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 20 stories ● Bogota Colombia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 25 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice28% 9,746 stories · about as usual Health26% 8,886 stories · more than usual (usually 21%) Conflict & violence18% 6,294 stories · less than usual (usually 21%) Disasters & accidents12% 4,018 stories · less than usual (usually 16%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 2,551 stories · about as usual Shelter & services5% 1,576 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 860 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 560 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 killed10,483 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,435 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected3,060 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,100 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting refugees492 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions423 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced288 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations139 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the US and Brazil Stories reporting people falling ill46 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nepal

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.

● 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

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.