← 17 May Saturday 18 May 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 19 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,186 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 violence in Bogota, protests in Taipei (Taiwan) and people displaced in Baghdad. Malta's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were softer than usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostColombia 77 in 100 of its 178 stories, usually 29
RegionCentral Asia 24 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
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 →
Conflict & violence

Colombia

137 of its 178 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Bogota accounted for 124 of Colombia's 137 stories about harm, carried by 102 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (75 stories). Illness was named in 108 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.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Bogota stories →
Protests & strikes

Taiwan

108 of its 179 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Taipei accounted for 88 of Taiwan's 108 stories about harm, carried by 217 outlets. 81 of Taipei's 88 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Taiwan over 30 days → its stories → Taipei stories →
Displacement

Iraq

295 of its 391 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Baghdad accounted for 247 of Iraq's 295 stories about harm, carried by 270 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (122 stories).

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Rights & justice

Malta

55 of its 110 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of arrests ran at about 10 times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.

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

Nicaragua

70 of its 74 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Managua accounted for 43 of Nicaragua's 70 stories about harm, carried by 39 outlets. 37 of Managua's 43 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (37 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

669 of its 1,469 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Tehran accounted for 568 of Iran's 669 stories about harm, carried by 617 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (125 stories). Illness was named in 50 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Indonesia

80 of its 169 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 27 of Jakarta's 52 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (50 stories). Tsunami was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

209 of its 282 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Armenia

91 of its 179 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 62 of Yerevan's 65 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (51 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Angola

11 of its 27 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. 9 of Cabinda's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (11 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Portugal (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Vanuatu (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Australia (51 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Malaysia (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Bangladesh (20 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 19 the day before
23 in 10018 in 10019 Apr26 Apr3 May10 May18 May19 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 10018 May: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 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 19,186 stories about harm among 107,774 counted on 18 May.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a lower share of stories about people being harmed since 18 April 2019. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 107,774 stories, below the usual 20. Mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual in Portugal's news. In Colombia, 77% of the news was about people being harmed, where 29% is usual. On 18 May 2018, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Nicaragua95 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 55 · mostly rights & justice Yemen78 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Libya77 in 100 of its 141 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Colombia77 in 100 of its 178 stories · usually 29 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq75 in 100 of its 391 stories · usually 47 · mostly displacement

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US172 stories about protests or strikes, of its 748 Missouri US124 stories about protests or strikes, of its 170 Taipei Taiwan81 stories about protests or strikes, of its 88 Granite City US73 stories about protests or strikes, of its 82 Cape Girardeau US71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 75

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readU.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: 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 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: 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: 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 lessSpain: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: 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 lessRwanda: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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 lessNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: 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 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 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 lessItaly: 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: too little coverage to readIceland: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFiji: 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: 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 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 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 lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readVietnam: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about one and a half times its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about one and a half times its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBolivia: warmth about its own usualAustria: warmth about 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 -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 15 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- rights & justice: 17 stories, carried by 11 outletsBerlin, Germany -- displacement: 55 stories, carried by 56 outletsKandy, Sri Lanka -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsTaipei, Taiwan -- rights & justice: 88 stories, carried by 217 outletsWhitehall, US -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsBeverly Hills, US -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsMilan, Italy -- conflict & violence: 87 stories, carried by 158 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

● Sri Lanka warmth about one and a half times usual ● Taiwan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Congo warmth about one and a half times usual ● Germany warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Israel warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Marapana Sri Lanka about three times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 17 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 17 stories ● Berlin Germany about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 55 stories ● Kandy Sri Lanka about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Taipei Taiwan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 88 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 5,547 stories · about as usual Health20% 3,780 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence20% 3,720 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents17% 3,169 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 1,157 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 664 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 602 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 291 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 killed4,991 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting arrests2,303 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,715 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Iran Stories reporting people injured1,549 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting evacuations327 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Iran and Iraq Stories reporting abductions232 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees218 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced210 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill11 at less than a quarter of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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
● 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

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.