← 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.

Where harm was most of the news

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: near the world's share or lessZambia: near the world's share or lessVietnam: near the world's share or lessVenezuela: near the world's share or lessVanuatu: near the world's share or lessUzbekistan: near the world's share or lessUruguay: near the world's share or lessMicronesia: near the world's share or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessGuam: near the world's share or lessPuerto Rico: near the world's share or lessUnited States: near the world's share or lessSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands: no storiesFalkland Islands: no storiesCayman Islands: near the world's share or lessIsle of Man: near the world's share or lessUnited Kingdom: near the world's share or lessUnited Arab Emirates: near the world's share or lessUkraine: near the world's share or lessUganda: near the world's share or lessTurkmenistan: near the world's share or lessTrinidad & Tobago: near the world's share or lessTonga: near the world's share or lessTogo: near the world's share or lessTimor-Leste: near the world's share or lessTanzania: near the world's share or lessTajikistan: near the world's share or lessSweden: near the world's share or lessEswatini: near the world's share or lessSuriname: near the world's share or lessSpain: near the world's share or lessSouth Korea: near the world's share or lessSouth Africa: near the world's share or lessSomalia: near the world's share or lessSomaliland: no storiesSolomon Islands: near the world's share or lessSlovakia: near the world's share or lessSlovenia: near the world's share or lessSingapore: near the world's share or lessSierra Leone: near the world's share or lessSeychelles: near the world's share or lessSerbia: no storiesSenegal: near the world's share or lessSaudi Arabia: near the world's share or lessSão Tomé: no storiesSamoa: near the world's share or lessSt Vincent: near the world's share or lessSt. Lucia: near the world's share or lessRussia: near the world's share or lessRomania: near the world's share or lessQatar: near the world's share or lessPortugal: near the world's share or lessPoland: near the world's share or lessPeru: near the world's share or lessParaguay: near the world's share or lessPapua New Guinea: near the world's share or lessPanama: near the world's share or lessPalau: no storiesOman: near the world's share or lessNorway: near the world's share or lessNorth Korea: near the world's share or lessNiger: near the world's share or lessNicaragua: near the world's share or lessNew Zealand: near the world's share or lessNiue: no storiesNetherlands: near the world's share or lessCuraçao: no storiesNamibia: near the world's share or lessMorocco: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara: near the world's share or lessMontenegro: near the world's share or lessMongolia: near the world's share or lessMoldova: near the world's share or lessMexico: near the world's share or lessMauritius: near the world's share or lessMauritania: near the world's share or lessMalta: near the world's share or lessMali: near the world's share or lessMalawi: near the world's share or lessMadagascar: near the world's share or lessNorth Macedonia: near the world's share or lessLuxembourg: near the world's share or lessLithuania: near the world's share or lessLibya: near the world's share or lessLiberia: near the world's share or lessLesotho: near the world's share or lessLatvia: near the world's share or lessLaos: near the world's share or lessKosovo: no storiesKiribati: near the world's share or lessKenya: near the world's share or lessKazakhstan: near the world's share or lessJordan: near the world's share or lessJapan: near the world's share or lessJamaica: near the world's share or lessItaly: near the world's share or lessIreland: near the world's share or lessIran: near the world's share or lessIndonesia: near the world's share or lessHungary: near the world's share or lessHonduras: near the world's share or lessHaiti: near the world's share or lessGuyana: near the world's share or lessGuinea-Bissau: near the world's share or lessGuinea: near the world's share or lessGuatemala: near the world's share or lessGrenada: near the world's share or lessGreece: near the world's share or lessGhana: near the world's share or lessGermany: near the world's share or lessGeorgia: near the world's share or lessGabon: near the world's share or lessFrance: near the world's share or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: no storiesFrench Polynesia: near the world's share or lessNew Caledonia: near the world's share or lessFrench Southern Territories: no storiesÅland Islands: no storiesFinland: near the world's share or lessFiji: near the world's share or lessEstonia: near the world's share or lessEritrea: near the world's share or lessEquatorial Guinea: near the world's share or lessEl Salvador: near the world's share or lessEgypt: near the world's share or lessDominican Republic: near the world's share or lessDominica: no storiesDjibouti: near the world's share or lessGreenland: near the world's share or lessFaroe Islands: near the world's share or lessDenmark: near the world's share or lessCzech Republic: near the world's share or lessN. Cyprus: no storiesCyprus: near the world's share or lessCroatia: near the world's share or lessCôte d'Ivoire: near the world's share or lessCosta Rica: near the world's share or lessComoros: no storiesChina: near the world's share or lessHong Kong: near the world's share or lessChile: near the world's share or lessChad: near the world's share or lessCentral African Republic: near the world's share or lessCape Verde: no storiesCanada: near the world's share or lessCameroon: near the world's share or lessBurundi: near the world's share or lessBurkina Faso: near the world's share or lessBulgaria: near the world's share or lessBrunei: near the world's share or lessBotswana: near the world's share or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: near the world's share or lessBolivia: near the world's share or lessBhutan: near the world's share or lessBenin: near the world's share or lessBelize: near the world's share or lessBelgium: near the world's share or lessBarbados: near the world's share or lessBahamas: near the world's share or lessAzerbaijan: near the world's share or lessAustria: near the world's share or lessAustralia: near the world's share or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: no storiesArmenia: near the world's share or lessArgentina: near the world's share or lessAntigua & Barbuda: near the world's share or lessAngola: near the world's share or lessAndorra: no storiesAlgeria: near the world's share or lessAlbania: near the world's share or lessAksai Chin: near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): near the world's share or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): near the world's share or lessCrimea: near the world's share or lessVatican City: near the world's share or lessMarshall Islands: near the world's share or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: no storiesAmerican Samoa: near the world's share or lessChagos Islands: no storiesSt. Helena: near the world's share or lessPitcairn: no storiesAnguilla: no storiesBermuda: near the world's share or lessBritish Virgin Islands: near the world's share or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: no storiesMontserrat: near the world's share or lessJersey: near the world's share or lessGuernsey: near the world's share or lessSan Marino: no storiesSt Kitts & Nevis: near the world's share or lessCook Islands: near the world's share or lessAruba: near the world's share or lessNauru: near the world's share or lessMonaco: near the world's share or lessMaldives: near the world's share or lessLiechtenstein: near the world's share or lessWallis & Futuna: no storiesSt. Martin: no storiesSt. Barthélemy: no storiesMacao: near the world's share or lessNorfolk Island: no storiesSint Maarten: no storiesChristmas Island: no storiesGibraltar: near the world's share or lessMayotte: no storiesYemen: 56 in 100 of its 45 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Türkiye: 38 in 100 of its 156 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Tunisia: 41 in 100 of its 41 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Thailand: 51 in 100 of its 158 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Taiwan: 54 in 100 of its 203 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Syria: 51 in 100 of its 85 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Switzerland: 33 in 100 of its 145 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)South Sudan: 50 in 100 of its 16 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Sudan: 54 in 100 of its 59 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Sri Lanka: 46 in 100 of its 148 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Rwanda: 86 in 100 of its 102 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Philippines: 40 in 100 of its 579 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Pakistan: 33 in 100 of its 705 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Nigeria: 34 in 100 of its 1,281 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Nepal: 48 in 100 of its 75 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Mozambique: 65 in 100 of its 34 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Malaysia: 36 in 100 of its 431 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Lebanon: 36 in 100 of its 75 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kyrgyzstan: 64 in 100 of its 22 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kuwait: 46 in 100 of its 50 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Israel: 57 in 100 of its 1,147 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Iraq: 37 in 100 of its 70 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)India: 38 in 100 of its 4,377 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Iceland: 52 in 100 of its 21 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Gambia: 47 in 100 of its 32 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Ethiopia: 55 in 100 of its 146 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Ecuador: 50 in 100 of its 24 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Cuba: 51 in 100 of its 55 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)DR Congo: 84 in 100 of its 19 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Congo: 84 in 100 of its 63 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Colombia: 51 in 100 of its 51 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Cambodia: 48 in 100 of its 62 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Myanmar: 73 in 100 of its 77 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Brazil: 37 in 100 of its 145 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Belarus: 66 in 100 of its 937 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Bangladesh: 45 in 100 of its 177 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Bahrain: 36 in 100 of its 61 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Afghanistan: 60 in 100 of its 139 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 44 in 100 of its 95 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 44 in 100 of its 95 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 44 in 100 of its 95 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Palestine: 51 in 100 of its 180 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)Kashmir: 44 in 100 of its 95 stories were about people being harmed (the world's: 24)
A quarter or more above the world's share Near the world's or lessNo stories

Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 24 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.

Most of its news about harm

● Rwanda 86 in 100 of its 102 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Belarus 66 in 100 of its 937 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Congo 84 in 100 of its 63 stories · mostly disasters & accidents ● Israel 57 in 100 of its 1,147 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Myanmar 73 in 100 of its 77 stories · mostly rights & justice ● Afghanistan 60 in 100 of its 139 stories · mostly conflict & violence

Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.

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 · 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.