← 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.

Thailand over 30 days → its stories → Bangkok stories →
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.

Egypt over 30 days → its stories → Egyptair stories →
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.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories →
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).

Switzerland over 30 days → its stories → Bern 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).

its 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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →
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.

its stories →

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 all →

Yemen82 in 100 of its 56 stories · usually 81 · mostly conflict & violence Costa Rica79 in 100 of its 146 stories · usually 25 · mostly disasters & accidents Iraq75 in 100 of its 936 stories · usually 68 · mostly conflict & violence Egypt72 in 100 of its 3,224 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Burundi71 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 76 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Baghdad Iraq420 stories about protests or strikes, of its 497 Washington US209 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1195 Hanoi Vietnam152 stories about protests or strikes, of its 277 Missouri US136 stories about protests or strikes, of its 161 Bangkok Thailand127 stories about protests or strikes, of its 228

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: 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: 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 readTrinidad & 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: too little coverage to readSweden: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 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: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: 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: too little coverage to readPalestine: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech 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: too little coverage to readDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: too little coverage to readChina: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: about as warm as its own usual or lessMyanmar: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualTunisia: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualNorway: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualKenya: warmth about one and a half times its own usualItaly: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about one and a half times its own usualDenmark: warmth about its own usualCameroon: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualBurundi: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAustria: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualJersey: warmth about its own usualLake Erie, US -- shelter & services: 11 stories, carried by 17 outletsNile, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 28 outletsBujumbura, Burundi -- conflict & violence: 25 stories, carried by 21 outletsVienna, Austria -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 53 outletsCopenhagen, Denmark -- health: 17 stories, carried by 17 outletsWest Midlands, UK -- disasters & accidents: 15 stories, carried by 14 outletsMoomba, Australia -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 14 stories, carried by 10 outletsNorthern Ireland, UK -- rights & justice: 25 stories, carried by 19 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

● Iraq warmth about one and a half times usual ● Austria warmth about one and a half times usual ● Burundi warmth about one and a half times usual ● Kenya warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Lake Erie US about twice as warm as the day's news · shelter & services · 11 stories ● Nile US about twice as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● Bujumbura Burundi about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 25 stories ● Vienna Austria about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 55 stories ● Copenhagen Denmark about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Rights & justice25% 9,422 stories · less than usual (usually 29%) Conflict & violence22% 8,355 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents18% 6,784 stories · more than usual (usually 15%) Health18% 6,783 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given8% 3,013 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 1,137 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 1,041 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 627 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 killed12,958 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests4,672 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected4,641 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured3,146 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees605 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and Türkiye Stories reporting evacuations603 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Canada and the US Stories reporting abductions520 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced493 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill110 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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
● 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

The week in human impact

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.