← 20 May Saturday 21 May 2016 · to 23:59 UTC 22 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
37,923 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to protests in Bangkok (Thailand), plane crash in Egypt and landslides in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeRights & justice 25 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostKazakhstan 65 in 100 of its 214 stories, usually 16
RegionCentral Asia 49 in 100 of its stories, usually 19
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 →
Protests & strikes

Thailand

279 of its 534 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Bangkok accounted for 228 of Thailand's 279 stories about harm, carried by 175 outlets. 127 of Bangkok's 228 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (129 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Egypt

2,307 of its 3,224 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Egyptair accounted for 2,243 of Egypt's 2,307 stories about harm, carried by 1,445 outlets. Plane crash was named in 513 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with drownings. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

845 of its 1,247 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (67 stories). Landslides were named in 213 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storm surge, heavy rain and drownings. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Switzerland

226 of its 422 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Bern accounted for 205 of Switzerland's 226 stories about harm, carried by 215 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (202 stories).

6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Kazakhstan

140 of its 214 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Almaty accounted for 127 of Kazakhstan's 140 stories about harm, carried by 125 outlets. 125 of Almaty's 127 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (126 stories).

Protests & strikes

South Korea

247 of its 611 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. 74 of Seoul's 127 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 10 times the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

Conflict & violence

Japan

630 of its 1,902 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (18 stories). Ebola was named in 66 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flu and hurricane. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

Protests & strikes

Iraq

698 of its 936 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Baghdad accounted for 497 of Iraq's 698 stories about harm, carried by 384 outlets. 420 of Baghdad's 497 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Rights & justice

Albania

63 of its 92 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Conflict & violence

Algeria

35 of its 57 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (30 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Also named far more than usual: avalanche in Nepal (178 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in North Macedonia (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Philippines (92 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hepatitis in China (70 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); ebola in Brazil (18 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 20; 20 the day before
22 in 10018 in 10022 Apr29 Apr6 May13 May21 May22 Apr: 20 in 10023 Apr: 21 in 10024 Apr: 21 in 10025 Apr: 19 in 10026 Apr: 19 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 19 in 10029 Apr: 19 in 10030 Apr: 19 in 1001 May: 20 in 1002 May: 19 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 20 in 1005 May: 20 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 21 in 1008 May: 22 in 1009 May: 20 in 10010 May: 20 in 10011 May: 19 in 10012 May: 19 in 10013 May: 19 in 10014 May: 22 in 10015 May: 22 in 10016 May: 19 in 10017 May: 20 in 10018 May: 20 in 10019 May: 20 in 10020 May: 20 in 10021 May: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 37,923 stories about harm among 173,834 counted on 21 May.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Nepal's news mentioned the avalanche about 4 times as often as usual. Thailand's news was 52% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%. of the day's 173,834 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 20.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: no storiesUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessTaiwan: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: near the world's share or lessOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: near the world's share or lessNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMozambique: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKyrgyzstan: near the world's share or lessKuwait: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndia: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGambia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: near the world's share or lessDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: no storiesDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCuba: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessDR Congo: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCanada: near the world's share or lessMyanmar: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBrazil: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBelarus: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahrain: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAndorra: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: near the world's share or lessAmerican Samoa: no storiesChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: near the world's share or lessPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: near the world's share or lessBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: near the world's share or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: no storiesWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: near the world's share or lessSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesZambia: 45 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Yemen: 82 in 100 of its 56 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Vietnam: 47 in 100 of its 895 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Venezuela: 47 in 100 of its 395 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Türkiye: 43 in 100 of its 514 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Tunisia: 45 in 100 of its 83 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Thailand: 52 in 100 of its 534 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Syria: 65 in 100 of its 723 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Switzerland: 54 in 100 of its 422 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)South Sudan: 48 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Sudan: 66 in 100 of its 47 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Sri Lanka: 59 in 100 of its 768 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)South Korea: 40 in 100 of its 611 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Sierra Leone: 51 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Saudi Arabia: 32 in 100 of its 266 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Rwanda: 42 in 100 of its 91 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Qatar: 37 in 100 of its 169 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Poland: 42 in 100 of its 257 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Philippines: 29 in 100 of its 1,726 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Peru: 32 in 100 of its 173 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Pakistan: 41 in 100 of its 1,481 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)North Korea: 54 in 100 of its 168 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Nigeria: 41 in 100 of its 1,894 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Niger: 90 in 100 of its 40 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Nepal: 61 in 100 of its 434 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Mali: 61 in 100 of its 18 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Malaysia: 32 in 100 of its 734 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)North Macedonia: 56 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Libya: 47 in 100 of its 109 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Liberia: 37 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Lebanon: 50 in 100 of its 160 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kenya: 39 in 100 of its 489 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kazakhstan: 65 in 100 of its 214 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Japan: 33 in 100 of its 1,902 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Israel: 56 in 100 of its 1,407 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 34 in 100 of its 1,460 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Iraq: 75 in 100 of its 936 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Indonesia: 51 in 100 of its 425 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Iceland: 39 in 100 of its 57 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Ethiopia: 32 in 100 of its 81 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)El Salvador: 62 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Egypt: 72 in 100 of its 3,224 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Ecuador: 44 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Costa Rica: 79 in 100 of its 146 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Congo: 61 in 100 of its 113 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Colombia: 61 in 100 of its 206 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Chile: 42 in 100 of its 440 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Central African Republic: 86 in 100 of its 7 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Cape Verde: 33 in 100 of its 76 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Cameroon: 45 in 100 of its 31 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Cambodia: 46 in 100 of its 57 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Burundi: 71 in 100 of its 58 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Bangladesh: 68 in 100 of its 1,247 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Angola: 49 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Algeria: 61 in 100 of its 57 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Albania: 68 in 100 of its 92 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Afghanistan: 63 in 100 of its 749 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 245 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 34 in 100 of its 1,460 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 34 in 100 of its 1,460 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 245 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 245 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Palestine: 34 in 100 of its 1,460 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Kashmir: 47 in 100 of its 245 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)Jersey: 40 in 100 of its 105 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 22)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 22 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

The day in three measures

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
● 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

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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.