← 1 May Saturday 2 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 3 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
23,359 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 day's news pointed at violence in Baghdad, the tsunami in Puerto Rico and abductions in Brazil. Iraq's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 77 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostPuerto Rico 87 in 100 of its 76 stories, usually 60
RegionCentral Asia 46 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

49 of its 73 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Baghdad accounted for 32 of Iraq's 49 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (22 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

Iraq over 30 days → its stories → Baghdad stories →
Disasters & accidents

Puerto Rico

66 of its 76 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (23 stories). Tsunami was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Puerto Rico over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Brazil

76 of its 138 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Brazil over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Chile

16 of its 34 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Uzbekistan

11 of its 11 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Greece

83 of its 157 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Earthquake was named in 29 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami.

its stories →
Health

Sweden

43 of its 85 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Egypt

Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Botswana

3 of Gaborone's 4 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Greece (29 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in South Korea (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Kenya (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); ebola in Japan (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Canada (29 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).

37 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 39; 35 the day before
44 in 10035 in 1003 Apr10 Apr17 Apr24 Apr2 May3 Apr: 40 in 1004 Apr: 42 in 1005 Apr: 44 in 1006 Apr: 41 in 1007 Apr: 40 in 1008 Apr: 40 in 1009 Apr: 39 in 10010 Apr: 41 in 10011 Apr: 43 in 10012 Apr: 44 in 10013 Apr: 42 in 10014 Apr: 40 in 10015 Apr: 39 in 10016 Apr: 38 in 10017 Apr: 38 in 10018 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 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 23,359 stories about harm among 63,476 counted on 2 May.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Greece's news. A year earlier, on 3 May 2019, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 37 today. Stories about people being harmed made up 37 in every 100 of the day's 63,476 stories, below the usual 39. Iraq's news was 67% about people being harmed, against a usual 54%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Puerto Rico87 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 60 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 132 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir69 in 100 of its 159 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Iraq67 in 100 of its 73 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines62 in 100 of its 449 stories · usually 63 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1073 Orange County US74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 123 Mckinley County US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 46 New York US40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 302 Delhi India34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 444

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: too little coverage to readYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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 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 readNepal: about as warm as its own usual or lessNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: about as warm as its own usual or lessMorocco: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readItaly: 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 readIran: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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 lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCape Verde: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBarbados: 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 lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: too little coverage to readArgentina: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readIraq: warmth about its own usualGuyana: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about its own usualEcuador: warmth about its own usualMinnesota, US -- health: 32 stories, carried by 35 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 21 stories, carried by 14 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 36 stories, carried by 25 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 17 outletsDibrugarh, India -- health: 15 stories, carried by 13 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

● Minnesota US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 32 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Edinburgh UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 36 stories ● Tennessee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Dibrugarh India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health77% 17,763 stories · much less than usual (usually 82%) Rights & justice8% 1,915 stories · more than usual (usually 6%) Disasters & accidents5% 1,146 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence3% 796 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 764 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 420 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 203 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 187 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 killed7,633 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,587 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,297 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,002 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations98 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions90 at about twice the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting refugees80 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and the US Stories reporting people falling ill76 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced55 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the Philippines 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 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

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.