← 22 May Sunday 23 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 24 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,614 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to volcanic eruption in Rwanda, protests in Minsk (Belarus) and people injured in Italy. Belarus' coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about one and a half times the usual rate →
Part of lifeHealth 47 in 100 of the stories about harm · much less than usual Country that rose mostRwanda 95 in 100 of its 161 stories, usually 38
RegionEast Asia 34 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
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

153 of its 161 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Kivu accounted for 83 of Rwanda's 153 stories about harm, carried by 400 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (20 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 139 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 → Kivu stories →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

176 of its 225 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Minsk accounted for 165 of Belarus' 176 stories about harm, carried by 381 outlets. 110 of Minsk's 165 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (45 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Health

Italy

243 of its 549 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (63 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Italy over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Myanmar

24 of its 27 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. 6 of Aung Hlaing's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Congo

49 of its 55 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 42 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

its stories →
Health

China

388 of its 1,036 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (90 stories). Storms were named in 81 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hypothermia, landslides and flooding.

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

51 of its 103 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (25 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bermuda

20 of its 30 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Tropical storm was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with storms.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

99 of its 250 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: volcanic eruption in Congo (42 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Bermuda (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in China (81 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Nigeria (51 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in India (176 of its stories, about three times its usual).

29 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 26 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10024 Apr1 May8 May15 May23 May24 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 10023 May: 29 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 11,614 stories about harm among 40,748 counted on 23 May.

Read the day's briefing

The share of stories about people being harmed was the highest since 21 February 2021. 29 in every 100 of the day's 40,748 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 25. In Rwanda's news, mentions of volcanic eruption ran more than ten times their usual. Reports of peace efforts, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Rwanda's news was 95% about people being harmed, against a usual 38%. This week the news turned most often to Israel, on 5 of 7 days; help rose on 4 of them.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda95 in 100 of its 161 stories · usually 38 · mostly disasters & accidents Congo89 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 54 · mostly disasters & accidents Belarus78 in 100 of its 225 stories · usually 30 · mostly conflict & violence Nepal71 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 54 · mostly health Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Jerusalem Israel168 stories about protests or strikes, of its 362 Minsk Belarus110 stories about protests or strikes, of its 165 Washington US76 stories about protests or strikes, of its 323 London UK29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 186 Delhi India24 stories about protests or strikes, of its 321

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: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Kingdom: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited Arab Emirates: too little coverage to readUkraine: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: too little coverage to readTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSingapore: too little coverage to readSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: too little coverage to readSerbia: 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: 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: too little coverage to readPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: too little coverage to readNorth 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: too little coverage to readJamaica: 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: too little coverage to readIndia: about as warm as its own usual or lessIceland: too little coverage to readHungary: too little coverage to readHonduras: 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: too little coverage to readGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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 lessEgypt: too little coverage to readEcuador: 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: too little coverage to readN. 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: 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 lessChile: about as warm as its own usual or lessChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readAngola: 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: 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: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: 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 readTaiwan: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualHaiti: warmth about one and a half times its own usualBrazil: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualColorado, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 10 outletsChangsha, China -- food & livelihood: 14 stories, carried by 20 outletsMontreal, Canada -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsMilwaukee, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 31 stories, carried by 143 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 21 stories, carried by 125 outletsRome, Italy -- health: 26 stories, carried by 30 outletsMelbourne, Australia -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 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

● Haiti warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Colorado US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Changsha China about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 14 stories ● Montreal Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Milwaukee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 31 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health47% 5,399 stories · much less than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice17% 2,001 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 1,575 stories · more than usual (usually 9%) Conflict & violence12% 1,371 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 603 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 206 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 205 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 135 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 killed3,842 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests909 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected894 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured884 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting abductions91 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced86 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Israel and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations71 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Rwanda and India Stories reporting refugees67 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill9 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.

● 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.