← 14 May Friday 15 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 16 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
36,172 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 illness in Tripoli, violence in Kabul and protests in Yuen Long (Hong Kong). Afghanistan's coverage was about 6 times as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 75 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostSlovenia 64 in 100 of its 67 stories, usually 38
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Health

Libya

51 of its 72 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Tripoli accounted for 31 of Libya's 51 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Hunger was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tuberculosis. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Slovenia

43 of its 67 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Iraq

Baghdad accounted for 32 of Iraq's 52 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. 17 of Baghdad's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Philippines

Manila accounted for 182 of the Philippines' 417 stories about harm, carried by 262 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (42 stories). Typhoon was named in 117 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tropical storm, cyclone and landslides.

its stories →
Health

United Arab Emirates

93 of its 169 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Dubai accounted for 82 of the United Arab Emirates' 93 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Georgia

24 of its 36 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Tbilisi accounted for 20 of Georgia's 24 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Bangladesh

Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (79 stories). Wildfires were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: typhoon in Philippines (117 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); dengue in Yemen (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); wildfires in Bangladesh (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in China (81 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in India (39 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

33 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 36; 33 the day before
42 in 10033 in 10016 Apr23 Apr30 Apr7 May15 May16 Apr: 38 in 10017 Apr: 38 in 10018 Apr: 40 in 10019 Apr: 42 in 10020 Apr: 38 in 10021 Apr: 37 in 10022 Apr: 37 in 10023 Apr: 37 in 10024 Apr: 36 in 10025 Apr: 37 in 10026 Apr: 39 in 10027 Apr: 37 in 10028 Apr: 37 in 10029 Apr: 36 in 10030 Apr: 35 in 1001 May: 35 in 1002 May: 37 in 1003 May: 38 in 1004 May: 36 in 1005 May: 35 in 1006 May: 35 in 1007 May: 34 in 1008 May: 33 in 1009 May: 36 in 10010 May: 38 in 10011 May: 34 in 10012 May: 34 in 10013 May: 34 in 10014 May: 33 in 10015 May: 33 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 36,172 stories about harm among 109,611 counted on 15 May.

Read the day's briefing

No day had a lower share of stories about people being harmed since 12 March 2020. the Philippines' news mentioned the typhoon more than ten times as often as usual. 33 in every 100 of the day's 109,611 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 36. On 16 May 2019, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 33 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan84 in 100 of its 256 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen77 in 100 of its 78 stories · usually 75 · mostly health Somalia74 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 70 · mostly health Libya71 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 57 · mostly health Bangladesh65 in 100 of its 275 stories · usually 59 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US202 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1779 Wuhan China38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 446 Delhi India37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 485 New York US37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 534 Kabul Afghanistan36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 178

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: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readUnited 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: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: 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 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: 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 lessRussia: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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 lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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 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 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 readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGermany: too little coverage to readGeorgia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessArgentina: 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): 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 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: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualPortree, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 10 outletsKings Lynn, UK -- health: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsBadrinath, India -- health: 14 stories, carried by 12 outletsNew Hampshire, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 15 outletsColorado, US -- health: 28 stories, carried by 31 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 178 stories, carried by 232 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 27 stories, carried by 21 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Portree UK about three times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Kings Lynn UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Badrinath India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● New Hampshire US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 28 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health75% 26,986 stories · less than usual (usually 79%) Rights & justice8% 2,942 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents6% 2,262 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence3% 1,214 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 976 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 729 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 410 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 385 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 killed9,519 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,497 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,739 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,149 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting refugees287 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and the US Stories reporting evacuations193 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced149 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions95 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill94 at about two-thirds of 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 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.