← 21 May Friday 22 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 23 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
34,388 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 day's news pointed at rights and justice in Riyadh, the cyclone in Bangladesh and protests in Hong Kong. Saudi Arabia's coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 71 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostSaudi Arabia 60 in 100 of its 335 stories, usually 46
RegionCentral Asia 42 in 100 of its stories, usually 39
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Rights & justice

Saudi Arabia

200 of its 335 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Riyadh accounted for 86 of Saudi Arabia's 200 stories about harm, carried by 281 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (60 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Saudi Arabia over 30 days → its stories → Riyadh stories →
Health

Bangladesh

181 of its 269 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (25 stories). Cyclone was named in 83 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding, heavy rain and typhoon.

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

Pakistan

Karachi accounted for 331 of Pakistan's 607 stories about harm, carried by 530 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (110 stories). Plane crash was named in 170 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

Chile

26 of its 60 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Georgia

24 of its 34 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Nicaragua

12 of its 16 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Sudan

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Brazil

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: plane crash in Pakistan (170 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in India (401 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); storms in Ireland (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Canada (13 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); meningitis in UK (32 of its stories, about three times its usual).

32 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 35; 32 the day before
39 in 10032 in 10023 Apr30 Apr7 May14 May22 May23 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 10021 May: 32 in 10022 May: 32 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 34,388 stories about harm among 107,783 counted on 22 May.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 12 March 2020. 32 in every 100 of the day's 107,783 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 35. In Bangladesh's news, mentions of the cyclone ran about 4 times their usual. A year earlier, on 23 May 2019, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 32 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Yemen75 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 74 · mostly health Rwanda71 in 100 of its 65 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh67 in 100 of its 269 stories · usually 58 · mostly health Saudi Arabia60 in 100 of its 335 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan56 in 100 of its 163 stories · usually 73 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Beijing China214 stories about protests or strikes, of its 753 Washington US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1484 London UK43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 585 Delhi India38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 435 New York US36 stories about protests or strikes, of its 435

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: feelings about like the world'sU.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'sTunisia: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: 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'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: feelings about like the world'sNiue: feelings about like the world'sNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: 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'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'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew 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'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: too little coverage to readComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sBurkina Faso: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: 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'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 readAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican 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: feelings about like the world'sMontserrat: feelings about like the world'sJersey: 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: feelings about like the world'sAruba: 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: feelings about like the world'sSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sZambia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as fearful 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 angry as the world'sUganda: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTanzania: 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 a little angrier than the world'sSpain: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSlovenia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world'sRwanda: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sRomania: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPortugal: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sOman: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNicaragua: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNamibia: coverage a little more fearful than 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 a little more fearful than the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sLithuania: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sLibya: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sLesotho: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLaos: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJapan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sItaly: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIreland: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIceland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHonduras: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHaiti: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuinea: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGrenada: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGreece: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sGambia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFiji: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDjibouti: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCzechia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCuba: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCroatia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCongo: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sHong Kong: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCambodia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMyanmar: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBurundi: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBhutan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about three times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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

● Saudi Arabia about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's · 200 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about three times as angry as the world's · 91 stories about harm ● Rwanda few stories about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 46 stories about harm ● Hong Kong about one and a half times as warm as the world's · 85 stories about harm ● Iran about twice as angry as the world's · 115 stories about harm ● Lebanon about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 58 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health71% 24,262 stories · much less than usual (usually 77%) Rights & justice10% 3,372 stories · more than usual (usually 8%) Disasters & accidents8% 2,674 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Conflict & violence4% 1,284 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,050 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 763 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 410 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 301 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 killed9,340 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,438 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,869 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,266 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations279 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees195 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced191 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting abductions141 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill82 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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 about as 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 · 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.