← 29 May Saturday 30 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 31 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,065 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 illness in Taipei, violence in Burkina Faso and protests in Washington (US). Burkina Faso's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and India →
Part of lifeHealth 58 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostTaiwan 59 in 100 of its 101 stories, usually 42
RegionNorth America 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 40
Tone of the words Much harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Mali

15 of its 22 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Denmark

18 of its 38 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Botswana

10 of its 18 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Malta

19 of its 44 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Health

Philippines

Manila accounted for 110 of the Philippines' 278 stories about harm, carried by 77 outlets. Earthquake was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

India

Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Natural hazards were named in 64 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: heavy rain in New Zealand (10 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); tuberculosis in Australia (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in India (64 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heavy rain in Canada (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Philippines (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

36 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 34; 32 the day before
38 in 10032 in 1001 May8 May15 May22 May30 May1 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 10023 May: 34 in 10024 May: 35 in 10025 May: 33 in 10026 May: 32 in 10027 May: 32 in 10028 May: 32 in 10029 May: 32 in 10030 May: 36 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 22,065 stories about harm among 61,951 counted on 30 May.

Read the day's briefing

Arrests were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and India. Stories about people being harmed made up 36 in every 100 of the day's 61,951 stories, above the usual 34. Mentions of heavy rain ran about 9 times their usual in New Zealand's news. A year earlier, on 31 May 2019, 19 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 36 today. Taiwan stood out: 59% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 42%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan71 in 100 of its 109 stories · usually 72 · mostly conflict & violence Philippines61 in 100 of its 456 stories · usually 56 · mostly health Taiwan59 in 100 of its 101 stories · usually 42 · mostly health Bangladesh55 in 100 of its 221 stories · usually 60 · mostly health Palestine55 in 100 of its 64 stories · usually 51 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Minneapolis US621 stories about protests or strikes, of its 695 Washington US548 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1077 Minnesota US212 stories about protests or strikes, of its 287 Atlanta US133 stories about protests or strikes, of its 176 Houston US125 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182

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: too little coverage to readVenezuela: 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: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: 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 lessTaiwan: 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: too little coverage to readSudan: 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 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: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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 lessParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readMexico: 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 lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: about as warm as its own usual or lessMadagascar: too little coverage to readNorth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: about as warm as its own usual or lessKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: 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: too little coverage to readIreland: 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: 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: too little coverage to readGeorgia: too little coverage to readGambia: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: 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 lessEcuador: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelize: 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 lessAzerbaijan: 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: 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 lessGaza: too little coverage to readWest Bank: too little coverage to readWestern 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: too little coverage to readEast Jerusalem: too little coverage to readAzad 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: too little coverage to readPitcairn: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan 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: 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 readSouth Sudan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPeru: warmth about its own usualMali: warmth about its own usualFiji: warmth about one and a half times its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualOdisha, India -- health: 27 stories, carried by 21 outletsInverness, UK -- deaths & injuries, cause not given: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 19 stories, carried by 23 outletsCockermouth, UK -- health: 14 stories, carried by 107 outletsBurlington, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsHong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 25 outletsKansas, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 12 outletsNadda, India -- health: 24 stories, carried by 20 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

● South Sudan warmth about one and a half times usual ● Fiji warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Odisha India about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories ● Inverness UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · deaths & injuries, cause not given · 13 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 19 stories ● Cockermouth UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Burlington US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health58% 12,650 stories · much less than usual (usually 74%) Rights & justice25% 5,435 stories · much more than usual (usually 9%) Disasters & accidents6% 1,294 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence5% 1,086 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 670 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 390 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 219 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 158 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 killed6,358 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,340 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people affected1,290 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,057 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting evacuations127 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions75 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees63 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Palestine and the US Stories reporting people falling ill35 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout one and a half times usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout one and a half times 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.