← 4 May Tuesday 5 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 6 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
41,186 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 →

Violence in Caracas, plane crash in Somalia and evacuations in the Maldives drew the news. Somalia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about India and Nigeria →
Part of lifeHealth 78 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostVenezuela 83 in 100 of its 235 stories, usually 52
RegionCentral Asia 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 42
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 →
Conflict & violence

Venezuela

195 of its 235 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Caracas accounted for 133 of Venezuela's 195 stories about harm, carried by 305 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (141 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Venezuela over 30 days → its stories → Caracas stories →
Health

Somalia

91 of its 114 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. Mogadishu accounted for 45 of Somalia's 91 stories about harm, carried by 72 outlets. Plane crash was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories → Mogadishu stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 46 of Afghanistan's 102 stories about harm, carried by 47 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Turkmenistan

12 of its 17 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

North Korea

47 of its 96 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Palestine

70 of its 102 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Health

Cambodia

20 of its 33 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Kenya

198 of its 341 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Malaria was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: respiratory illness in France (66 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); hunger in Bangladesh (23 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); natural hazards in Malaysia (29 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); malaria in Kenya (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); hunger in Ireland (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

35 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 39; 36 the day before
44 in 10035 in 1006 Apr13 Apr20 Apr27 Apr5 May6 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 1003 May: 38 in 1004 May: 36 in 1005 May: 35 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 5 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 41,186 stories about harm among 117,776 counted on 5 May.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 13 March 2020. Evacuations were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about India and Nigeria. the news turned to Venezuela for the second day running. 35 in every 100 of the day's 117,776 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 39.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Venezuela83 in 100 of its 235 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen80 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 75 · mostly health Somalia80 in 100 of its 114 stories · usually 68 · mostly health Madagascar74 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 50 · mostly health Afghanistan73 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US262 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2150 Delhi India59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 685 London UK56 stories about protests or strikes, of its 649 New York US53 stories about protests or strikes, of its 729 Wuhan China52 stories about protests or strikes, of its 589

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: 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: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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 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 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readKenya: 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 lessIreland: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurundi: 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: 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: 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 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: about as warm as its own usual or lessGibraltar: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readPortugal: warmth about its own usualMorocco: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualPortree, UK -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsNew Hampshire, US -- health: 25 stories, carried by 22 outletsVermont, US -- health: 25 stories, carried by 37 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 16 stories, carried by 57 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 51 stories, carried by 100 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- health: 18 stories, carried by 27 outletsAmman, Jordan -- health: 14 stories, carried by 10 outletsPanama City, Panama -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 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

● Portree UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● New Hampshire US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Vermont US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 51 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health78% 31,724 stories · less than usual (usually 81%) Rights & justice8% 3,104 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents4% 1,717 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence4% 1,473 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,145 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 831 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 521 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 395 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 killed11,494 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,929 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,902 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,379 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations320 at about twice the usual rate · most about India and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees198 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced175 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill109 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions94 at about the usual rate

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
● 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 →

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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.