← 21 May Saturday 22 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 23 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
12,582 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 news turned to people killed in Rwanda, people displaced in China and protests in Aung Hlaing (Myanmar). Nigeria's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 48 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostIceland 74 in 100 of its 72 stories, usually 28
RegionSoutheast Asia 44 in 100 of its stories, usually 37
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 →
Disasters & accidents

Rwanda

24 of its 38 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Natural hazards were named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories →
Health

China

322 of its 1,032 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories). Landslides were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

China over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (218 stories). Plane crash was named in 104 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Netherlands

56 of its 152 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at about 10 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

55 of its 105 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Taipei accounted for 35 of Taiwan's 55 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Kashmir

51 of its 85 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Jammu accounted for 35 of Kashmir's 51 stories about harm, carried by 17 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Congo

13 of its 17 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Natural hazards were named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 362 of Israel's 633 stories about harm, carried by 687 outlets. 212 of Jerusalem's 362 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Iceland

53 of its 72 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Fagradalsfjall accounted for 50 of Iceland's 53 stories about harm, carried by 50 outlets.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: hurricane in Bermuda (24 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Congo (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Greece (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Indonesia (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in UK (34 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

26 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 24 the day before
28 in 10024 in 10023 Apr30 Apr7 May14 May22 May23 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 10022 May: 26 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 12,582 stories about harm among 47,539 counted on 22 May.

Read the day's briefing

On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate. On 22 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 32 in every 100, against 26 today. Rwanda's news was 63% about people being harmed, against a usual 38%. of the day's 47,539 news stories, 26 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 25.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Iceland74 in 100 of its 72 stories · usually 28 · mostly disasters & accidents Afghanistan67 in 100 of its 131 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Israel65 in 100 of its 972 stories · usually 62 · mostly conflict & violence Kashmir60 in 100 of its 85 stories · usually 45 · mostly health Palestine53 in 100 of its 175 stories · usually 50 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel212 stories about protests or strikes, of its 362 Washington US94 stories about protests or strikes, of its 423 Gaza Palestine28 stories about protests or strikes, of its 68 London UK26 stories about protests or strikes, of its 194 Delhi India22 stories about protests or strikes, of its 338

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'sVietnam: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readIsle of Man: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSudan: feelings about like the world'sSri Lanka: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: feelings about like the world'sSlovakia: feelings about like the world'sSlovenia: feelings about like the world'sSingapore: feelings about like the world'sSierra Leone: too little coverage to readSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRussia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: feelings about like the world'sOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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'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'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: feelings about like the world'sGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGhana: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican 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 readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: too little coverage to readComoros: too little coverage to readHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: feelings about like the world'sCape Verde: too little coverage to readCanada: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: too little coverage to readBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: 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 readCrimea: feelings about like the world'sVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall 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 readBritish Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: feelings about like the world'sSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: 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 readYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sUK: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sTunisia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSyria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPortugal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPeru: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPakistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNigeria: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sNiger: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sNepal: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMorocco: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMongolia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMexico: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sMali: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKyrgyzstan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sKuwait: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sIreland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIraq: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sEgypt: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sDenmark: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChad: coverage a little angrier than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little more fearful 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'sBrazil: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sAustralia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sArmenia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPalestine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMaldives: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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

● Nigeria about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 329 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as angry as the world's · 633 stories about harm ● Türkiye few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 25 stories about harm ● Palestine about twice as angry as the world's · 93 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 88 stories about harm ● Myanmar few stories about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 36 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health48% 6,013 stories · less than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice18% 2,264 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents12% 1,517 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence12% 1,452 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 544 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 303 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 206 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 159 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 killed4,049 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected997 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests891 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured886 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced97 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Israel Stories reporting refugees94 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations57 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill14 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan

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.

● Angerabout as 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.