← 17 May Saturday 18 May 2024 · to 23:59 UTC 19 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
10,870 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 violence in Bamyan, protests in Colombo (Sri Lanka) and flooding in Yemen. Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 27 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostAfghanistan 84 in 100 of its 187 stories, usually 51
RegionCentral Asia 35 in 100 of its stories, usually 17
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Afghanistan

157 of its 187 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Bamyan accounted for 58 of Afghanistan's 157 stories about harm, carried by 79 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (63 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Bamyan stories →
Protests & strikes

Sri Lanka

49 of its 91 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 6 of Colombo's 11 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

40 of its 47 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Kyrgyzstan

72 of its 175 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Bishkek accounted for 70 of Kyrgyzstan's 72 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. 44 of Bishkek's 70 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (23 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Slovakia

56 of its 128 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Bratislava accounted for 35 of Slovakia's 56 stories about harm, carried by 222 outlets. 24 of Bratislava's 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (30 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Germany

101 of its 350 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 30 of Munich's 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Flooding was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with landslides and storms.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

254 of its 360 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Gaza accounted for 211 of Palestine's 254 stories about harm, carried by 285 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

New Caledonia

20 of its 26 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Noumea accounted for 19 of New Caledonia's 20 stories about harm, carried by 70 outlets. 16 of Noumea's 19 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Indonesia

59 of its 126 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories). Earthquake was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Indonesia (23 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Ireland (29 of its stories, about three times its usual); tsunami in Taiwan (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Germany (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Japan (16 of its stories, about three times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
20 in 10017 in 10019 Apr26 Apr3 May10 May18 May19 Apr: 18 in 10020 Apr: 18 in 10021 Apr: 17 in 10022 Apr: 17 in 10023 Apr: 17 in 10024 Apr: 18 in 10025 Apr: 18 in 10026 Apr: 17 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 19 in 10029 Apr: 18 in 10030 Apr: 18 in 1001 May: 19 in 1002 May: 18 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 19 in 1005 May: 20 in 1006 May: 19 in 1007 May: 17 in 1008 May: 18 in 1009 May: 18 in 10010 May: 18 in 10011 May: 18 in 10012 May: 19 in 10013 May: 18 in 10014 May: 18 in 10015 May: 17 in 10016 May: 18 in 10017 May: 18 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 10,870 stories about harm among 58,849 counted on 18 May.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 58,849 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 19 May 2023, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan84 in 100 of its 187 stories · usually 51 · mostly disasters & accidents Palestine71 in 100 of its 360 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Israel70 in 100 of its 715 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka54 in 100 of its 91 stories · usually 22 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia47 in 100 of its 126 stories · usually 35 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US70 stories about protests or strikes, of its 246 Gaza Palestine62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 211 Bishkek Kyrgyzstan44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 70 Jerusalem Israel39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 126 Manhattan US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 74

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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 readRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: about as warm as its own usual or lessPeru: too little coverage to readParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: too little coverage to readNicaragua: 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: too little coverage to readMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: too little coverage to readGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: too little coverage to readBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: 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 lessGaza: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook 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: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 readSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualFlorida, US -- health: 34 stories, carried by 34 outletsRiyadh, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 14 outletsCalifornia, US -- health: 58 stories, carried by 63 outletsAccra, Ghana -- rights & justice: 29 stories, carried by 10 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 85 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 20 stories, carried by 11 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 23 stories, carried by 22 outletsBeijing, China -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 26 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

● Florida US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories ● Riyadh Saudi Arabia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● California US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 58 stories ● Accra Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 29 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health27% 2,838 stories · about as usual Rights & justice25% 2,671 stories · less than usual (usually 28%) Disasters & accidents18% 1,929 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence15% 1,650 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given6% 597 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 433 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 298 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 261 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 killed2,949 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,249 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,214 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured862 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions374 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting refugees169 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting people displaced157 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations128 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Ukraine and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill23 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the UK and the US

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 · 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.