← 12 May Thursday 13 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 14 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,787 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 violence in Jerusalem, power cuts in Taiwan and protests in Khartoum (Sudan). Israel's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 53 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostIsrael 68 in 100 of its 2,218 stories, usually 52
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 54 in 100 of its stories, usually 38
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 →
Conflict & violence

Israel

1,511 of its 2,218 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Jerusalem accounted for 1,103 of Israel's 1,511 stories about harm, carried by 1,086 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (44 stories). Power cuts were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Health

Taiwan

76 of its 177 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Taipei accounted for 49 of Taiwan's 76 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (22 stories). Power cuts were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Taiwan over 30 days → its stories → Taipei stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

Iran

67 of its 131 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Thailand

98 of its 194 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Bangkok accounted for 68 of Thailand's 98 stories about harm, carried by 127 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (26 stories).

its stories →
Health

Indonesia

66 of its 121 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Covid was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nicaragua

9 of its 12 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 3 of Managua's 6 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Health

Fiji

40 of its 105 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories).

its stories →
Health

Peru

22 of its 51 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: covid in Indonesia (34 of its stories, about three times its usual); outbreaks in Liberia (10 of its stories, about three times its usual); house fires in Ireland (28 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Philippines (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); respiratory illness in China (18 of its stories, about three times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 25 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10014 Apr21 Apr28 Apr5 May13 May14 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 1005 May: 24 in 1006 May: 24 in 1007 May: 24 in 1008 May: 26 in 1009 May: 27 in 10010 May: 25 in 10011 May: 25 in 10012 May: 25 in 10013 May: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 13 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 22,787 stories about harm among 93,386 counted on 13 May.

Read the day's briefing

For the sixth day running, the news turned to Israel. Stories about people being harmed made up 24 in every 100 of the day's 93,386 stories, as usual. Mentions of Covid ran about three times their usual in Indonesia's news. A year earlier, on 13 May 2020, 34 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today. Israel stood out: 68% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 52%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Israel68 in 100 of its 2,218 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan59 in 100 of its 163 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Nepal55 in 100 of its 169 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Indonesia55 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Iran51 in 100 of its 131 stories · usually 34 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel511 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1103 Washington US232 stories about protests or strikes, of its 1139 Glasgow UK42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 94 Delhi India32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 395 Los Angeles US28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 148

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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.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 lessUkraine: too little coverage to readUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSt. 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 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: 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 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 lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: 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 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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): 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: 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: 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualTürkiye: warmth about its own usualGhana: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualMarib, Yemen -- displacement: 12 stories, carried by 27 outletsKhartoum, Sudan -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 11 outletsArizona, US -- health: 35 stories, carried by 136 outletsSudbury, Canada -- health: 14 stories, carried by 14 outletsAsaba, Nigeria -- health: 27 stories, carried by 15 outletsOhio, US -- health: 86 stories, carried by 220 outletsAbuja, Nigeria -- health: 29 stories, carried by 17 outletsBridport, UK -- health: 12 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

● Marib Yemen about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · displacement · 12 stories ● Khartoum Sudan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 14 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 35 stories ● Sudbury Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Asaba Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health53% 11,919 stories · about as usual Rights & justice17% 3,756 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence12% 2,674 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Disasters & accidents7% 1,604 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 1,082 stories · more than usual (usually 2%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 793 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 539 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 229 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 killed5,919 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,642 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,390 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,389 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees106 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting evacuations103 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced88 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions84 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting people falling ill19 at about the usual rate

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 →

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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.