← 18 May Tuesday 19 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 20 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
37,522 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 news turned to violence in Jammu, people killed in Chile and the cyclone in Bangladesh. Kashmir's coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 74 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostChile 46 in 100 of its 89 stories, usually 22
RegionEvery region about as usual
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

Kashmir

152 of its 202 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Jammu accounted for 91 of Kashmir's 152 stories about harm, carried by 45 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

Kashmir over 30 days → its stories → Jammu stories →
Health

Chile

41 of its 89 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Chile over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (38 stories). Cyclone was named in 101 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storm surge, typhoon and hurricane. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Sri Lanka

98 of its 191 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Heavy rain 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.

its stories →
Health

Mexico

Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Sudan

51 of its 58 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories).

its stories →
Health

Congo

22 of its 27 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Cameroon

42 of its 67 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Argentina

37 of its 84 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in India (320 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Greece (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); respiratory illness in Mexico (21 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Sri Lanka (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Switzerland (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

33 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 36; 34 the day before
39 in 10033 in 10020 Apr27 Apr4 May11 May19 May20 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 1009 May: 36 in 10010 May: 38 in 10011 May: 34 in 10012 May: 34 in 10013 May: 34 in 10014 May: 33 in 10015 May: 33 in 10016 May: 36 in 10017 May: 37 in 10018 May: 34 in 10019 May: 33 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 19 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 37,522 stories about harm among 113,225 counted on 19 May.

Read the day's briefing

Stories about people being harmed made up 33 in every 100 of the day's 113,225 stories, below the usual 36. On 20 May 2019, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, against 33 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

South Sudan88 in 100 of its 58 stories · usually 60 · mostly health Kashmir75 in 100 of its 202 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 218 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Sudan68 in 100 of its 73 stories · usually 63 · mostly conflict & violence Yemen68 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 74 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US126 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1764 Beijing China54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 496 Chicago US48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 273 Wuhan China38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 434 London UK35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 566

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: 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 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 lessThailand: 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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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 lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR 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: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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 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 lessJammu & Kashmir: about as warm as its own usual or lessAksai Chin: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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 readTunisia: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualGuatemala: warmth about its own usualBurundi: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualLichfield, UK -- health: 17 stories, carried by 14 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 51 stories, carried by 26 outletsCabo Delgado, Mozambique -- conflict & violence: 10 stories, carried by 12 outletsDane County, US -- health: 20 stories, carried by 17 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 79 stories, carried by 106 outletsMississippi, US -- health: 24 stories, carried by 33 outletsWaterloo, Canada -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsQuebec, Canada -- health: 38 stories, carried by 54 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

● Lichfield UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 51 stories ● Cabo Delgado Mozambique about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 10 stories ● Dane County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Kabul Afghanistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 79 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health74% 27,536 stories · less than usual (usually 77%) Rights & justice8% 2,991 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents7% 2,555 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence4% 1,568 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,161 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 737 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 358 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 346 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 killed9,668 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,626 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,817 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,507 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations336 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees220 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions147 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and Nigeria Stories reporting people displaced136 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill83 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and China

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

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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.