← 3 May Tuesday 4 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 5 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,119 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 earthquake in Mexico, flooding in Afghanistan and protests in Bogota (Colombia) drew the news. Afghanistan's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 54 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostMexico 60 in 100 of its 664 stories, usually 27
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 43 in 100 of its stories, usually 34
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 →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Mexico

398 of its 664 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Mexico City accounted for 331 of Mexico's 398 stories about harm, carried by 753 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (278 stories). Earthquake was named in 74 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual, with train derailment. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Mexico over 30 days → its stories → Mexico City stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

159 of its 227 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Kabul accounted for 66 of Afghanistan's 159 stories about harm, carried by 75 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Flooding was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

73 of its 125 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 22 of Bogota's 25 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Bogota stories →
Health

Denmark

Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Outbreaks were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

India

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Road crashes were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Myanmar

Yangon accounted for 23 of Myanmar's 43 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. 14 of Yangon's 23 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Saudi Arabia

94 of its 243 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Yemen

27 of its 33 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Hong Kong

51 of its 118 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

76 of its 185 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Sri Lanka (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); road crashes in Australia (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in US (225 of its stories, about three times its usual); accidents in Canada (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in UK (23 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 25 the day before
28 in 10024 in 1005 Apr12 Apr19 Apr26 Apr4 May5 Apr: 26 in 1006 Apr: 25 in 1007 Apr: 25 in 1008 Apr: 25 in 1009 Apr: 25 in 10010 Apr: 27 in 10011 Apr: 28 in 10012 Apr: 25 in 10013 Apr: 26 in 10014 Apr: 25 in 10015 Apr: 24 in 10016 Apr: 25 in 10017 Apr: 27 in 10018 Apr: 28 in 10019 Apr: 25 in 10020 Apr: 25 in 10021 Apr: 24 in 10022 Apr: 24 in 10023 Apr: 24 in 10024 Apr: 28 in 10025 Apr: 28 in 10026 Apr: 24 in 10027 Apr: 24 in 10028 Apr: 24 in 10029 Apr: 24 in 10030 Apr: 24 in 1001 May: 25 in 1002 May: 25 in 1003 May: 25 in 1004 May: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 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 22,119 stories about harm among 91,203 counted on 4 May.

Read the day's briefing

In Mexico's news, mentions of the earthquake ran about 10 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 24 in every 100 of the day's 91,203 stories, below the usual 25. Mexico's news was 60% about people being harmed, against a usual 27%. On 4 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 36 in every 100, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Myanmar81 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 81 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan70 in 100 of its 227 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Mexico60 in 100 of its 664 stories · usually 27 · mostly deaths & injuries, cause not given Colombia58 in 100 of its 125 stories · usually 38 · mostly rights & justice Nepal56 in 100 of its 54 stories · usually 49 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US142 stories about protests or strikes, of its 879 London UK44 stories about protests or strikes, of its 345 Chicago US39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 182 Jerusalem Israel32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 93 Delhi India31 stories about protests or strikes, of its 499

Stories, not people.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: too little coverage to readZambia: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 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: 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 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 readSouth Sudan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSamoa: 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 lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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 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: too little coverage to readJordan: too little coverage to readJapan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJamaica: about as warm as its own usual or lessItaly: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial 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: too little coverage to readDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessChina: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessWest Bank: about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: too little coverage to readNorthern 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: too little coverage to readJersey: 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: too little coverage to readCook 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: too little coverage to readNorfolk 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTunisia: warmth about its own usualLaos: warmth about its own usualEstonia: warmth about its own usualCzechia: warmth about its own usualLoma Linda, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsMontana, US -- food & livelihood: 23 stories, carried by 58 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 33 stories, carried by 15 outletsVerwood, UK -- disasters & accidents: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 14 stories, carried by 12 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Loma Linda US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Montana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 23 stories ● Abuja Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 33 stories ● Verwood UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 15 stories ● Geneva Switzerland 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 →

Health54% 11,884 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 4,047 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents9% 2,045 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence7% 1,553 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,006 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 487 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 441 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 437 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 killed5,815 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,606 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,601 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,313 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees267 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada Stories reporting abductions150 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced132 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations63 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and the UK Stories reporting people falling ill7 at about a third of the usual rate · most about the UK and Ireland

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

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.