← 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.

Where the news was warmest

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: about as warm as its own usual or lessZambia: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: 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: 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: too little coverage to readRwanda: 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: too little coverage to readPortugal: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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: 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 lessHong Kong: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: 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: 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: 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): 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 lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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 readNepal: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about its own usualOregon, US -- health: 15 stories, carried by 15 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 34 stories, carried by 167 outletsNorth Carolina, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 31 outletsVancouver, Canada -- health: 32 stories, carried by 26 outletsSussex, UK -- health: 25 stories, carried by 27 outletsPyongyang, North Korea -- health: 15 stories, carried by 22 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 55 stories, carried by 94 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

● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 34 stories ● North Carolina US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Vancouver Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 32 stories ● Sussex UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 25 stories

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.