← 19 May Monday 20 May 2019 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
30,951 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 protests in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), violence in Tehran and a disaster in Roatan. Tajikistan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Part of lifeRights & justice 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostTajikistan 99 in 100 of its 147 stories, usually 33
RegionCentral Asia 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 13
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

Tajikistan

145 of its 147 stories (99%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Dushanbe accounted for 93 of Tajikistan's 145 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. 91 of Dushanbe's 93 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (144 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Tajikistan over 30 days → its stories → Dushanbe stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

968 of its 2,032 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Tehran accounted for 851 of Iran's 968 stories about harm, carried by 800 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 18 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Tehran stories →
Disasters & accidents

Honduras

63 of its 69 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Roatan accounted for 47 of Honduras' 63 stories about harm, carried by 70 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (59 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Honduras over 30 days → its stories → Roatan stories →
Rights & justice

Guatemala

81 of its 104 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual, with volcanic eruption.

Guatemala over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Egypt

299 of its 525 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Cairo accounted for 260 of Egypt's 299 stories about harm, carried by 207 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (212 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Cambodia

36 of its 69 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (24 stories). Hunger was named in 18 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

212 of its 273 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Idlib accounted for 121 of Syria's 212 stories about harm, carried by 147 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Brazil

332 of its 598 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (77 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bermuda

63 of its 106 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Hurricane was named in 48 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with cyclone and tropical storm. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Oman

27 of its 103 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with heavy rain.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Bermuda (48 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); ebola in Switzerland (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Nepal (39 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); outbreaks in China (174 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hunger in Cambodia (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 18 the day before
23 in 10018 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 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 10019 May: 18 in 10020 May: 18 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 30,951 stories about harm among 168,870 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

Tajikistan's news was 99% about people being harmed, against a usual 33%. of the day's 168,870 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 20. Bermuda's news mentioned the hurricane about 10 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 20 May 2018, 23 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 18 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Tajikistan99 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 33 · mostly rights & justice Honduras91 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 39 · mostly disasters & accidents Guatemala78 in 100 of its 104 stories · usually 38 · mostly rights & justice Syria78 in 100 of its 273 stories · usually 70 · mostly conflict & violence Libya73 in 100 of its 96 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Alabama US422 stories about protests or strikes, of its 560 Washington US166 stories about protests or strikes, of its 968 London UK119 stories about protests or strikes, of its 515 Tehran Iran100 stories about protests or strikes, of its 851 Dushanbe Tajikistan91 stories about protests or strikes, of its 93

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 lessVietnam: 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: 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 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 lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: 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 lessTajikistan: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRomania: 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: too little coverage to readNorway: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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 lessJapan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readFrance: 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 lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 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 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 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: 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: 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 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAnguilla: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUkraine: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualTanzania: warmth about its own usualRwanda: warmth about its own usualRussia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPapua New Guinea: warmth about one and a half times its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about one and a half times its own usualMalawi: warmth about its own usualLebanon: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJordan: warmth about its own usualJamaica: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualGreece: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualArgentina: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKidal, Mali -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 28 outletsBeirut, Lebanon -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 27 outletsTrumansburg, US -- health: 33 stories, carried by 86 outletsSutherland Springs, US -- conflict & violence: 65 stories, carried by 141 outletsTikrit, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 17 stories, carried by 15 outletsHampshire, UK -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 67 outletsNuffield, UK -- food & livelihood: 26 stories, carried by 146 outletsDonegal, Ireland -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 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

● Papua New Guinea warmth about one and a half times usual ● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual ● Mali warmth about one and a half times usual ● Russia warmth about one and a half times usual ● Lebanon warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Kidal Mali about three times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories ● Beirut Lebanon about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories ● Trumansburg US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 33 stories ● Sutherland Springs US about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 65 stories ● Tikrit Iraq about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice29% 8,696 stories · about as usual Health22% 6,768 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence19% 5,851 stories · less than usual (usually 22%) Disasters & accidents16% 4,745 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given7% 2,029 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 859 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 838 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 626 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 killed7,970 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests3,731 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,989 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured2,886 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Egypt Stories reporting people displaced338 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees315 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Sweden Stories reporting abductions301 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations246 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Iraq and the US Stories reporting people falling ill33 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and China

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.