← 23 May Monday 24 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 25 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,907 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 →

Protests in Minsk (Belarus), the earthquake in Rwanda and illness in Taipei drew the news. Ethiopia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostBelarus 66 in 100 of its 937 stories, usually 36
RegionEast Asia 25 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 →
Protests & strikes

Belarus

623 of its 937 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Minsk accounted for 561 of Belarus' 623 stories about harm, carried by 572 outlets. 339 of Minsk's 561 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories → Minsk stories →
Disasters & accidents

Rwanda

88 of its 102 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (20 stories). Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with cholera. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Rwanda over 30 days → its stories →
Health

Taiwan

109 of its 203 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Taipei accounted for 72 of Taiwan's 109 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Power cuts were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

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

Italy

224 of its 741 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (166 stories). Road crashes were named in 30 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Congo

53 of its 63 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

China

620 of its 2,060 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Storms were named in 28 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with hunger and extreme cold.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

DR Congo

16 of its 19 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of arrests ran at about 8 times the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Health

Sri Lanka

68 of its 148 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories).

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

156 of its 431 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (34 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flu in Romania (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in Bangladesh (17 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); road crashes in Italy (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in Nigeria (51 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); storms in China (28 of its stories, about three times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 29 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10025 Apr2 May9 May16 May24 May25 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 10024 May: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 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 18,907 stories about harm among 77,372 counted on 24 May.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the flu ran more than ten times their usual in Romania's news. of the day's 77,372 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. the news turned to Belarus for the second day running. On 24 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 35 in every 100, against 24 today. In Belarus, 66% of the news was about people being harmed, where 36% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda86 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 45 · mostly disasters & accidents Congo84 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 57 · mostly disasters & accidents Myanmar73 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 73 · mostly rights & justice Belarus66 in 100 of its 937 stories · usually 36 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan60 in 100 of its 139 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Minsk Belarus339 stories about protests or strikes, of its 561 Jerusalem Israel177 stories about protests or strikes, of its 373 Washington US112 stories about protests or strikes, of its 556 London UK67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 307 Chicago US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 162

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Uzbekistan: 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: feelings about like the world'sIsle of Man: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUkraine: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-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'sSwitzerland: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Korea: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: 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: feelings about like the world'sSeychelles: feelings about like the world'sSerbia: too little coverage to readSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSt 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'sPortugal: 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: too little coverage to readPakistan: 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'sNiue: too little coverage to readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMorocco: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara: too little coverage to readMontenegro: too little coverage to readMongolia: feelings about like the world'sMoldova: 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: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLibya: feelings about like the world'sLebanon: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: 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'sGermany: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readFrance: feelings about like the world'sSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: feelings about like the world'sFrench 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 readEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sCzech Republic: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readChina: feelings about like the world'sChile: 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: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: 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 readAlbania: feelings about like the world'sAksai Chin: 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: too little coverage to readMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern 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: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: feelings about like the world'sCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: feelings about like the world'sMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: feelings about like the world'sLiechtenstein: feelings about like the world'sWallis & 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 readZimbabwe: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sZambia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sYemen: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sVietnam: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sVenezuela: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sVanuatu: coverage a little more fearful than 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'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSweden: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSuriname: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSomalia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sSenegal: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSamoa: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sRwanda: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sPeru: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNiger: coverage a little angrier than the world'sNew Zealand: coverage a little warmer than the world'sNepal: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMozambique: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMali: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLiberia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLesotho: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKuwait: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJordan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJamaica: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sItaly: 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 one and a half times as angry as 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'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGuinea-Bissau: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGambia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sEthiopia: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCyprus: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sDR Congo: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sColombia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sHong Kong: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sChad: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sCentral African Republic: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCameroon: coverage a little warmer 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'sBolivia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBelarus: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sBangladesh: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAustralia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sArmenia: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sArgentina: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken 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

● Israel about twice as angry as the world's · 650 stories about harm ● Belarus about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 623 stories about harm ● Afghanistan about twice as angry as the world's · 83 stories about harm ● Ethiopia about twice as angry as the world's · 80 stories about harm ● Mali few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 23 stories about harm ● Iran about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 66 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 9,159 stories · less than usual (usually 53%) Rights & justice20% 3,731 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents11% 2,038 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence10% 1,918 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 845 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 416 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 392 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 219 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 killed5,212 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,561 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,361 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,039 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions156 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced155 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Nigeria Stories reporting evacuations117 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about India and Rwanda Stories reporting refugees97 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Israel and the US Stories reporting people falling ill29 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about China and the US

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 · 18 Oct – 24 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.