← 20 May Friday 21 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 22 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,976 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 arrests in el Salvador, people injured in Malaysia and refugees in Yemen. Israel's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was about as usual.

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostMalaysia 38 in 100 of its 375 stories, usually 26
RegionMiddle East & North Africa 50 in 100 of its stories, usually 44
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 →
Rights & justice

El Salvador

22 of its 29 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

El Salvador over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Malaysia

144 of its 375 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Malaysia over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Yemen

16 of its 21 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Kashmir

65 of its 123 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Jammu accounted for 37 of Kashmir's 65 stories about harm, carried by 19 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Plane crash was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with gas explosion. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bermuda

19 of its 40 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Hurricane was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Fiji

38 of its 95 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (16 stories).

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

73 of its 165 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Taipei accounted for 50 of Taiwan's 73 stories about harm, carried by 47 outlets.

its stories →
Displacement

Mali

12 of its 22 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Bermuda (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in Greece (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in China (46 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); road crashes in France (11 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); road crashes in UK (93 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 24 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10022 Apr29 Apr6 May13 May21 May22 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 10018 May: 24 in 10019 May: 24 in 10020 May: 24 in 10021 May: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 20,976 stories about harm among 87,781 counted on 21 May.

Read the day's briefing

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate. of the day's 87,781 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 25. el Salvador stood out: 76% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 32%. Mentions of the hurricane ran about three times their usual in Bermuda's news. On 21 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 32 in every 100, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Israel65 in 100 of its 2,008 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan56 in 100 of its 116 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Mozambique54 in 100 of its 57 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir53 in 100 of its 123 stories · usually 44 · mostly health Bangladesh53 in 100 of its 177 stories · usually 48 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel402 stories about protests or strikes, of its 719 Washington US148 stories about protests or strikes, of its 713 Chicago US74 stories about protests or strikes, of its 236 Manhattan US61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 155 New York US34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 220

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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 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: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: too little coverage to readPhilippines: 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: too little coverage to readOman: 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 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 readNamibia: 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 readMauritius: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: about as warm as its own usual or lessLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: too little coverage to readLatvia: 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 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: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: 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: 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 lessEcuador: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominican Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: about as warm as its own usual or lessAzerbaijan: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustria: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Kitts & Nevis: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualTrinidad & Tobago: warmth about its own usualSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualSenegal: warmth about its own usualPortugal: warmth about its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualNiger: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualMexico: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualEgypt: warmth about its own usualChile: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualEscambia County, US -- rights & justice: 15 stories, carried by 164 outletsBarcelona, Spain -- health: 10 stories, carried by 23 outletsVermont, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 13 outletsWirral, UK -- health: 36 stories, carried by 16 outletsSwindon, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 24 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- health: 37 stories, carried by 21 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

● Escambia County US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 15 stories ● Barcelona Spain about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Vermont US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Wirral UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 36 stories ● Swindon UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 10,159 stories · less than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice19% 3,841 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence12% 2,498 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Disasters & accidents10% 2,108 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 812 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 552 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 480 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 311 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 killed5,677 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,622 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,428 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,191 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced180 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Nigeria Stories reporting refugees167 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations97 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill34 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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

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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.