← 15 May Sunday 16 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 17 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,579 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 →

Violence in Jerusalem, protests in Khartoum (Sudan) and the cyclone in India drew the news. Israel's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US → Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US → Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about India and Israel → Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 46 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostTaiwan 51 in 100 of its 115 stories, usually 31
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 58 in 100 of its stories, usually 41
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 →
Conflict & violence

Israel

1,362 of its 1,931 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Jerusalem accounted for 938 of Israel's 1,362 stories about harm, carried by 1,039 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (91 stories). Building collapse was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with drownings. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Protests & strikes

Sudan

20 of its 25 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 13 of Khartoum's 15 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Sudan over 30 days → its stories → Khartoum stories →
Health

India

1,311 of its 2,754 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories). Cyclone was named in 236 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain, storms and storm surge.

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

Palestine

203 of its 330 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Gaza accounted for 134 of Palestine's 203 stories about harm, carried by 269 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

105 of its 133 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Kabul accounted for 88 of Afghanistan's 105 stories about harm, carried by 142 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

27 of its 37 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. 7 of Bogota's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Canada

277 of its 853 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (28 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

China

Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (19 stories). Tornadoes were named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (72 stories). Gas explosion was named in 39 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with wildfires. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Pakistan (27 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Sri Lanka (10 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); tornadoes in China (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); gas explosion in UK (39 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in US (22 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

28 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 26 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10017 Apr24 Apr1 May8 May16 May17 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 10016 May: 28 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 11,579 stories about harm among 41,643 counted on 16 May.

Read the day's briefing

For the ninth day running, the news turned to Israel. Stories about people being harmed made up 28 in every 100 of the day's 41,643 stories, above the usual 25. It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 28 March 2021. On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US. This week the news turned most often to Israel, on 7 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan79 in 100 of its 133 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Indonesia72 in 100 of its 68 stories · usually 49 · mostly health Israel71 in 100 of its 1,931 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine62 in 100 of its 330 stories · usually 49 · mostly conflict & violence Taiwan51 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 31 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel402 stories about protests or strikes, of its 938 Washington US121 stories about protests or strikes, of its 388 Gaza Palestine42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 134 London UK34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 178 Manhattan US23 stories about protests or strikes, of its 73

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: too little coverage to readVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUganda: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkmenistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSudan: 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: too little coverage to readSeychelles: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: too little coverage to readMalaysia: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: too little coverage to readGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe 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: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR Congo: about as warm as its own usual or lessCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: too little coverage to readCentral 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: 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: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: 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 readMaldives: 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: too little coverage to readSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualVermont, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsIbadan, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsPerth, Australia -- disasters & accidents: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsPune, India -- health: 14 stories, carried by 10 outletsKentucky, US -- health: 18 stories, carried by 18 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 29 stories, carried by 101 outletsSussex, UK -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 15 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

● Vermont US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Ibadan Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 12 stories ● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 13 stories ● Pune India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Kentucky US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health46% 5,243 stories · much less than usual (usually 53%) Conflict & violence17% 1,936 stories · much more than usual (usually 9%) Rights & justice16% 1,804 stories · less than usual (usually 19%) Disasters & accidents10% 1,180 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 560 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 267 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 255 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 216 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 killed4,228 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people injured1,308 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people affected935 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting arrests822 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees160 at about twice the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting evacuations104 at about three times the usual rate · most about India and Israel Stories reporting people displaced89 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting abductions51 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill10 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 much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little more than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little more 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

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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.