← 7 May Friday 8 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 9 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
36,546 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 the earthquake in Iran, protests in Freetown (Sierra Leone) and violence in Caracas. Sierra Leone's coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was harsher than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about India and the US →
Part of lifeHealth 74 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostPalestine 77 in 100 of its 131 stories, usually 56
RegionCentral Asia 48 in 100 of its stories, usually 42
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 →
Health

Iran

190 of its 320 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Tehran accounted for 133 of Iran's 190 stories about harm, carried by 129 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (61 stories). Earthquake was named in 74 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Palestine

101 of its 131 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Ramallah accounted for 78 of Palestine's 101 stories about harm, carried by 38 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (57 stories). Its coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

Tripoli accounted for 49 of Libya's 57 stories about harm, carried by 85 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Chile

27 of its 69 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

North Korea

32 of its 65 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Pyongyang accounted for 27 of North Korea's 32 stories about harm, carried by 38 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Argentina

35 of its 70 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Nicaragua

8 of its 10 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Somalia (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Rwanda (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Uganda (11 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Philippines (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); drought in South Africa (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

33 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 38; 34 the day before
44 in 10033 in 1009 Apr16 Apr23 Apr30 Apr8 May9 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 1006 May: 35 in 1007 May: 34 in 1008 May: 33 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 36,546 stories about harm among 110,105 counted on 8 May.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 13 March 2020. of the day's 110,105 news stories, 33 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 38. Iran's news mentioned the earthquake more than ten times as often as usual. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about India and the US.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sierra Leone84 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 63 · mostly health Palestine77 in 100 of its 131 stories · usually 56 · mostly health Yemen74 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 75 · mostly health Venezuela72 in 100 of its 191 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Syria67 in 100 of its 106 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US154 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1701 Glynn County US58 stories about protests or strikes, of its 154 Beijing China45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 317 Dallas US38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 187 London UK36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 488

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: too little coverage to readNiger: 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: too little coverage to readMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: 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: 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 lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: 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: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta 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: too little coverage to readChad: 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: 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 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 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 readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: 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 readPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualMalaysia: warmth about its own usualKyrgyzstan: warmth about its own usualGuyana: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualGateshead, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 14 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 38 stories, carried by 21 outletsMaine, US -- health: 41 stories, carried by 31 outletsArkansas, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 22 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 13 outletsMogadishu, Somalia -- health: 13 stories, carried by 21 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 21 stories, carried by 16 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

● Gateshead UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 38 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 41 stories ● Arkansas US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health74% 26,872 stories · much less than usual (usually 80%) Rights & justice9% 3,294 stories · more than usual (usually 6%) Disasters & accidents5% 1,797 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence4% 1,480 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,076 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 792 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 529 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 458 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 killed10,288 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,815 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,051 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,407 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations334 at about twice the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees184 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill121 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions120 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria

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
● 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

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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.