← 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.

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: too little coverage to readU.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: too little coverage to readTurkey: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: too little coverage to readTrinidad & 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: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSuriname: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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 lessNew Zealand: about as warm as its own usual or lessNiue: about as warm as its own usual or lessNetherlands: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: 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: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: about as warm as its own usual or lessEgypt: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: about as warm as its own usual or lessComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: about as warm as its own usual or lessAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 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 lessEast Jerusalem: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSint 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 readThailand: warmth about its own usualSomalia: warmth about its own usualRomania: warmth about its own usualKuwait: warmth about its own usualEcuador: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about one and a half times its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualAdelaide, Australia -- health: 25 stories, carried by 44 outletsNorth Yorkshire, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 23 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 23 stories, carried by 43 outletsCape Elizabeth, US -- health: 25 stories, carried by 19 outletsHong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong -- rights & justice: 26 stories, carried by 28 outletsAllegany, US -- shelter & services: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 25 stories, carried by 55 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

● Hong Kong warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Adelaide Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● North Yorkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 23 stories ● Cape Elizabeth US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories ● Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Hong Kong about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 26 stories

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 · 19 Oct – 25 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.