← 16 May Monday 17 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 18 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,321 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, people affected in Somalia and the cyclone in India. Israel's coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about India and the US →
Part of lifeHealth 51 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostTaiwan 50 in 100 of its 200 stories, usually 31
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 54 in 100 of its stories, usually 42
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Israel

1,386 of its 1,959 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Jerusalem accounted for 749 of Israel's 1,386 stories about harm, carried by 928 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 7 times the usual rate (72 stories). Power cuts were named in 35 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 →
Disasters & accidents

Somalia

14 of its 22 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Somalia over 30 days → its stories →
Health

India

1,938 of its 4,217 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (105 stories). Cyclone was named in 438 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain, storms and flooding.

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

Kashmir

64 of its 106 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Jammu accounted for 38 of Kashmir's 64 stories about harm, carried by 22 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 112 of Palestine's 160 stories about harm, carried by 168 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

Kabul accounted for 67 of Afghanistan's 108 stories about harm, carried by 186 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

100 of its 200 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Taipei accounted for 78 of Taiwan's 100 stories about harm, carried by 102 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Switzerland

67 of its 195 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iraq

27 of its 35 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: wildfires in Jersey (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in United Arab Emirates (20 of its stories, about three times its usual); drownings in Indonesia (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Pakistan (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Canada (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

25 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 28 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10018 Apr25 Apr2 May9 May17 May18 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 10017 May: 25 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 20,321 stories about harm among 81,468 counted on 17 May.

Read the day's briefing

The news turned to Israel for the tenth day running. 25 in every 100 of the day's 81,468 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Jersey's news, mentions of wildfires ran more than ten times their usual. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about India and the US. On 17 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 37 in every 100, against 25 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Israel71 in 100 of its 1,959 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan64 in 100 of its 170 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir60 in 100 of its 106 stories · usually 43 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine57 in 100 of its 283 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence Taiwan50 in 100 of its 200 stories · usually 31 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel288 stories about protests or strikes, of its 749 Washington US117 stories about protests or strikes, of its 659 Kolkata India62 stories about protests or strikes, of its 108 London UK54 stories about protests or strikes, of its 350 Tel Aviv Israel43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 130

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: 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: 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: 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 lessTunisia: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: about as warm as its own usual or lessTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNamibia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMozambique: too little coverage to readMorocco: too little coverage to readWestern 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 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: 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 lessLaos: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readGabon: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR Congo: too little coverage to readCongo: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCanada: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlgeria: 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 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 lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readMexico: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualKashmir: warmth about one and a half times its own usualJammu, Kashmir -- health: 38 stories, carried by 22 outletsIndiana, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 17 outletsArizona, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 32 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 20 stories, carried by 39 outletsHeysham, UK -- disasters & accidents: 17 stories, carried by 41 outletsWarsaw, Poland -- health: 11 stories, carried by 52 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 20 stories, carried by 24 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

● Kashmir warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 38 stories ● Indiana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Edinburgh UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 20 stories ● Heysham UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 17 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health51% 10,230 stories · less than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice17% 3,497 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 2,331 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Disasters & accidents10% 2,103 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 738 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 509 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 421 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 275 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 killed5,746 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,606 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,418 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,403 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations224 at about three times the usual rate · most about India and the US Stories reporting people displaced160 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting refugees156 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions86 at about half the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people falling ill14 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 about as usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angerabout as 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 · 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.