← 19 May Wednesday 20 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
37,869 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 cyclone in Bangladesh, the malaria in Brazil and people injured in Niger. Brazil's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran softer than usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about India and the US →
Part of lifeHealth 73 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostChile 43 in 100 of its 103 stories, usually 22
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 40
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

274 of its 387 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (82 stories). Cyclone was named in 196 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storm surge, storms and typhoon. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Bangladesh over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Brazil

184 of its 323 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Malaria was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Brazil over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Niger

17 of its 20 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 93 of Afghanistan's 148 stories about harm, carried by 153 outlets. Plague was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Burundi

54 of its 65 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Mozambique

41 of its 52 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Sudan

29 of its 36 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Norway

61 of its 161 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Korea

213 of its 434 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Seoul accounted for 118 of South Korea's 213 stories about harm, carried by 328 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in India (537 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in Afghanistan (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Israel (13 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Ireland (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); accidents in US (41 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

33 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 36; 33 the day before
39 in 10033 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 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 10020 May: 33 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 37,869 stories about harm among 115,552 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 12 March 2020. of the day's 115,552 news stories, 33 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 36. Evacuations were reported at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about India and the US. It was the second day running that the news turned to Bangladesh. On 21 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 →

Burundi83 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 63 · mostly health Mozambique79 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Rwanda73 in 100 of its 52 stories · usually 62 · mostly health Afghanistan72 in 100 of its 206 stories · usually 74 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh71 in 100 of its 387 stories · usually 57 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US183 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1637 Kolkata India54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 281 Beijing China43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 370 New York US43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 466 London UK38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 509

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Vietnam: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: feelings about like the world'sPuerto Rico: feelings about like the world'sUnited States: feelings about like the world'sSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: too little coverage to readFalkland Islands: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: feelings about like the world'sMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: feelings about like the world'sKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sPalestine: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: feelings about like the world'sGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: feelings about like the world'sNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: feelings about like the world'sGaza: feelings about like the world'sWest Bank: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sZambia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sUganda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSpain: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSingapore: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sQatar: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPoland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNorway: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNiger: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sNicaragua: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNetherlands: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMozambique: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalta: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalawi: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLithuania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLesotho: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIraq: coverage a little warmer than the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sIndonesia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sHungary: coverage a little angrier than the world'sHaiti: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGermany: coverage a little angrier than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEcuador: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCyprus: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCuba: coverage a little angrier than the world'sDR Congo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCongo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHong Kong: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChile: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCameroon: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCambodia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurundi: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBrazil: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sBotswana: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAlgeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAlbania: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about 4 times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sJersey: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world's
AngerGriefFearWarmth Like the world'sToo little news

Each country in the colour of the feeling its news carried most, against the world's news that day. Stronger colour: further above the world. Click a country.

Strongest feelings

● Afghanistan about 4 times as angry as the world's · 148 stories about harm ● Kashmir about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 120 stories about harm ● Brazil about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 184 stories about harm ● Burundi about twice as angry as the world's · 54 stories about harm ● Türkiye about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 130 stories about harm ● Iran about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 171 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health73% 27,386 stories · less than usual (usually 77%) Disasters & accidents8% 3,129 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Rights & justice8% 2,991 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence4% 1,411 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,050 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 785 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 412 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 407 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 killed9,292 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected2,968 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,858 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,301 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations741 at about 4 times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting refugees270 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and Bangladesh Stories reporting people displaced135 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions106 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill72 at about half 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
● Griefa little less 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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.