← 16 May Sunday 17 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 18 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,484 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 →

People displaced in Tripoli, violence in Kabuga and illness in Seoul drew the news. Libya's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Palestine and Nigeria →
Part of lifeHealth 71 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostQatar 69 in 100 of its 64 stories, usually 42
RegionCentral Asia 55 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Displacement

Libya

40 of its 50 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Tripoli accounted for 30 of Libya's 40 stories about harm, carried by 62 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Libya over 30 days → its stories → Tripoli stories →
Conflict & violence

Rwanda

45 of its 54 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Kabuga accounted for 32 of Rwanda's 45 stories about harm, carried by 48 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories → Kabuga stories →
Health

South Korea

99 of its 196 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Seoul accounted for 61 of South Korea's 99 stories about harm, carried by 102 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

South Korea over 30 days → its stories → Seoul stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Displacement

Palestine

Jenin accounted for 75 of Palestine's 100 stories about harm, carried by 6 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (61 stories). Illness was named in 60 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Kashmir

Jammu accounted for 65 of Kashmir's 109 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Qatar

44 of its 64 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (28 stories).

its stories →
Health

Brazil

85 of its 140 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

52 of its 75 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Romania

13 of its 19 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: illness in Palestine (60 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Nepal (19 of its stories, about three times its usual); typhoon in Philippines (35 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in Israel (29 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Bangladesh (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

37 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 36; 36 the day before
42 in 10033 in 10018 Apr25 Apr2 May9 May17 May18 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 10016 May: 36 in 10017 May: 37 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 19,484 stories about harm among 53,104 counted on 17 May.

Read the day's briefing

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Palestine and Nigeria. of the day's 53,104 news stories, 37 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. A year earlier, on 18 May 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 37 today. Libya's news was 80% about people being harmed, against a usual 57%. This week the news turned most often to Afghanistan, on 4 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda83 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 61 · mostly conflict & violence Libya80 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 57 · mostly displacement Iraq69 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Qatar69 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 42 · mostly health Madagascar66 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 57 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US93 stories about protests or strikes, of its 813 Delhi India32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 381 Beijing China26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 172 Miami US25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 154 Chicago US24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 161

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readNorway: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readMozambique: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little warmer than the world'sYemen: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sVenezuela: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUruguay: coverage a little angrier than the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUganda: coverage a little angrier than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSyria: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSudan: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSpain: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Korea: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSomalia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSenegal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRwanda: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRomania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPortugal: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPeru: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sOman: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNigeria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNiger: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNicaragua: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNepal: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMontenegro: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMadagascar: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLibya: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKenya: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJordan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIraq: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHonduras: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGhana: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGermany: coverage a little angrier than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCuba: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCroatia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sDR Congo: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChina: coverage a little angrier than the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little angrier than the world'sChile: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurundi: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBosnia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlbania: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage about three times as fearful as the world'sGuernsey: coverage a little more fearful than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Kashmir about three times as fearful as the world's · 109 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 135 stories about harm ● Rwanda few stories about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 45 stories about harm ● Libya few stories about three times as angry as the world's · 40 stories about harm ● Somalia few stories about twice as angry as the world's · 36 stories about harm ● Nepal few stories about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 30 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health71% 13,709 stories · much less than usual (usually 78%) Disasters & accidents8% 1,592 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Rights & justice8% 1,510 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence5% 938 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 788 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 333 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 313 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 175 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 killed6,202 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,346 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,024 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests998 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations162 at about twice the usual rate · most about India and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced141 at about twice the usual rate · most about Palestine and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees102 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions58 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill48 at about the usual rate

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 harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.