← 15 May Tuesday 16 May 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 17 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
21,869 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 Dakar (Senegal), the cyclone in Myanmar and people injured in Iraq. Iraq's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostU.S. Virgin Islands 65 in 100 of its 68 stories, usually 20
RegionOceania 22 in 100 of its stories, usually 18
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

Senegal

27 of its 45 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Dakar accounted for 18 of Senegal's 27 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. 10 of Dakar's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Senegal over 30 days → its stories → Dakar stories →
Disasters & accidents

Myanmar

50 of its 67 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Sittwe accounted for 22 of Myanmar's 50 stories about harm, carried by 52 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Cyclone was named in 36 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding, storm surge and hurricane. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Myanmar over 30 days → its stories → Sittwe stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

38 of its 83 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories →
Displacement

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 88 of Sudan's 151 stories about harm, carried by 170 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (48 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

369 of its 949 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Wellington accounted for 219 of New Zealand's 369 stories about harm, carried by 505 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 10 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

157 of its 313 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (32 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Malawi

37 of its 77 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Pakistan

392 of its 877 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 88 of Islamabad's 166 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

83 of its 170 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Ethiopia

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Drought was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with outbreaks.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: diphtheria in Vietnam (59 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Italy (37 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); bird flu in Brazil (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Syria (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Ethiopia (10 of its stories, about three times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
19 in 10017 in 10017 Apr24 Apr1 May8 May16 May17 Apr: 18 in 10018 Apr: 18 in 10019 Apr: 18 in 10020 Apr: 18 in 10021 Apr: 17 in 10022 Apr: 19 in 10023 Apr: 19 in 10024 Apr: 18 in 10025 Apr: 18 in 10026 Apr: 18 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 17 in 10029 Apr: 17 in 10030 Apr: 18 in 1001 May: 18 in 1002 May: 18 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 18 in 1005 May: 18 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 19 in 1008 May: 19 in 1009 May: 19 in 10010 May: 18 in 10011 May: 18 in 10012 May: 18 in 10013 May: 18 in 10014 May: 19 in 10015 May: 18 in 10016 May: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 21,869 stories about harm among 125,868 counted on 16 May.

Read the day's briefing

Senegal stood out: 60% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 25%. 17 in every 100 of the day's 125,868 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Myanmar's news, mentions of the cyclone ran about 4 times their usual. On 16 May 2022, a year earlier, the share was 22 in every 100, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan76 in 100 of its 200 stories · usually 76 · mostly displacement Myanmar75 in 100 of its 67 stories · usually 57 · mostly disasters & accidents U.S. Virgin Islands65 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 20 · mostly rights & justice Somalia55 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 53 · mostly disasters & accidents Tunisia55 in 100 of its 69 stories · usually 47 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US131 stories about protests or strikes, of its 714 Islamabad Pakistan88 stories about protests or strikes, of its 166 Lahore Pakistan42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 66 Hollywood US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 232 London UK36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 257

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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle 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 readTunisia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth Sudan: too little coverage to readSudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSri Lanka: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra 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 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: 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: 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 readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKazakhstan: too little coverage to readJordan: 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: 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: 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: 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 readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFiji: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: 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 readColombia: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: 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 lessMyanmar: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurundi: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: too little coverage to readBotswana: 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 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 lessAfghanistan: 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: too little coverage to readGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readVietnam: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSpain: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about its own usualFrance: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualAustralia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualFrench Riviera, France -- rights & justice: 27 stories, carried by 195 outletsPalais, France -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 13 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 21 stories, carried by 38 outletsNorthern Territory, Australia -- health: 82 stories, carried by 82 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 10 stories, carried by 16 outletsIowa, US -- health: 21 stories, carried by 30 outletsWatsonville, US -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 24 outletsAnkara, Türkiye -- rights & justice: 32 stories, carried by 36 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

● French Riviera France about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 27 stories ● Palais France about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Northern Territory Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 82 stories ● Calgary Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health33% 7,164 stories · about as usual Rights & justice26% 5,509 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 3,099 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence10% 2,218 stories · less than usual (usually 12%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,045 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 1,010 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 807 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 633 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 killed4,865 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,373 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,365 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,465 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees417 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Bangladesh Stories reporting evacuations231 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Canada and the US Stories reporting people displaced227 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill7 at about half the usual rate · most about India 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
● 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.