← 14 May Saturday 15 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 16 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,468 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to protests in Jerusalem (Israel), illness in Colombo and arrests in el Salvador. Israel's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and Palestine →
Part of lifeHealth 50 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostTaiwan 62 in 100 of its 112 stories, usually 29
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 55 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 →
Protests & strikes

Israel

995 of its 1,434 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Jerusalem accounted for 692 of Israel's 995 stories about harm, carried by 949 outlets. 354 of Jerusalem's 692 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (117 stories). Building collapse was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

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

Sri Lanka

52 of its 102 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Colombo accounted for 34 of Sri Lanka's 52 stories about harm, carried by 14 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Rights & justice

El Salvador

7 of its 12 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

India

1,378 of its 2,950 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Cyclone was named in 151 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain, storms and landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

31 of its 53 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. 10 of Bogota's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

69 of its 112 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Taipei accounted for 58 of Taiwan's 69 stories about harm, carried by 83 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Pakistan

80 of its 153 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Cyclone was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

New Zealand

94 of its 307 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Peru

16 of its 39 stories (41%) 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: tornadoes in China (63 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Pakistan (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in India (151 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 24 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10016 Apr23 Apr30 Apr7 May15 May16 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 10014 May: 24 in 10015 May: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 12,468 stories about harm among 47,902 counted on 15 May.

Read the day's briefing

It was the eighth day running that the news turned to Israel. of the day's 47,902 news stories, 26 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 25. China's news mentioned tornadoes more than ten times as often as usual. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and Palestine. On 15 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 33 in every 100, against 26 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Israel69 in 100 of its 1,434 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan64 in 100 of its 96 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Taiwan62 in 100 of its 112 stories · usually 29 · mostly health Nepal60 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 51 · mostly health Colombia58 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 48 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel354 stories about protests or strikes, of its 692 Washington US99 stories about protests or strikes, of its 442 Gaza Palestine47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 135 Paris France25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 54 Delhi India21 stories about protests or strikes, of its 292

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sYemen: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.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'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: too little coverage to readSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRussia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: too little coverage to readPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: too little coverage to readNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIraq: feelings about like the world'sIran: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: 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: too little coverage to readFrench Southern Territories: too little coverage to readÅland Islands: too little coverage to readFinland: feelings about like the world'sFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: feelings about like the world'sDenmark: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: 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'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: 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: 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readVietnam: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sTürkiye: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sThailand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little angrier than the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPoland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPhilippines: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPeru: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sPakistan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMexico: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMalaysia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGhana: coverage about one and a half times as warm as the world'sGermany: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCongo: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBulgaria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sBrazil: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBangladesh: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBahrain: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAustria: coverage a little angrier than the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sUkraine: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMaldives: coverage a little more fearful than 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

● Israel about twice as angry as the world's · 995 stories about harm ● Palestine about twice as angry as the world's · 156 stories about harm ● Ghana about one and a half times as warm as the world's · 56 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 61 stories about harm ● UK about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 756 stories about harm ● Colombia few stories about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 31 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health50% 6,195 stories · less than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice16% 2,019 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Conflict & violence14% 1,673 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Disasters & accidents10% 1,199 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 530 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 282 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 263 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 211 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 killed3,925 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured986 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting arrests943 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected935 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees197 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and Palestine Stories reporting abductions67 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced67 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations41 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill20 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and India

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.

● Angera little more than 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

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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.