← 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.

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto 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 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 lessThailand: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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 lessPortugal: too little coverage to readPoland: about as warm as its own usual or lessPhilippines: too little coverage to readPeru: 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: 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 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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 lessLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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 lessIreland: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: too little coverage to readChina: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: 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 lessBangladesh: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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 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 lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readUkraine: warmth about its own usualTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualQatar: warmth about its own usualNew Zealand: warmth about its own usualMozambique: warmth about its own usualLatvia: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPortree, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsBedfordshire, UK -- health: 56 stories, carried by 120 outletsRepublic of China, Taiwan -- health: 10 stories, carried by 24 outletsRhode Island, US -- health: 26 stories, carried by 25 outletsMaryville, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 35 stories, carried by 32 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 20 stories, carried by 23 outletsSunshine Coast, Australia -- health: 20 stories, carried by 30 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

● Palestine warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Portree UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Bedfordshire UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 56 stories ● Republic of China Taiwan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Rhode Island US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 26 stories ● Maryville US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories

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 · 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.