← 27 May Friday 28 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 29 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
20,639 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 →

People killed in Germany, oil spill in Sri Lanka and rights and justice in Tigray drew the news. Germany's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 49 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostGermany 40 in 100 of its 593 stories, usually 25
RegionEast Asia 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 23
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Conflict & violence

Germany

240 of its 593 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (98 stories). Poisoning was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Germany over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Sri Lanka

95 of its 179 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Colombo accounted for 73 of Sri Lanka's 95 stories about harm, carried by 54 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Oil spill was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Health

China

680 of its 2,163 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories). Ebola was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with poisoning.

China over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Disasters & accidents

Congo

32 of its 41 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Covid was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Rwanda

75 of its 104 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Syria

Damascus accounted for 47 of Syria's 88 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Landslides were named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Uganda

44 of its 86 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Health

Taiwan

79 of its 155 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Taipei accounted for 49 of Taiwan's 79 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

171 of its 470 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Outbreaks were named in 36 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Malaysia (36 of its stories, about three times its usual); covid in Congo (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in Bangladesh (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in New Zealand (19 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); covid in Afghanistan (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 24 the day before
29 in 10024 in 10029 Apr6 May13 May20 May28 May29 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 10025 May: 24 in 10026 May: 24 in 10027 May: 24 in 10028 May: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 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 20,639 stories about harm among 85,789 counted on 28 May.

Read the day's briefing

Of the day's 85,789 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 28 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 32 in every 100, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda72 in 100 of its 104 stories · usually 54 · mostly disasters & accidents Ethiopia64 in 100 of its 89 stories · usually 46 · mostly rights & justice Belarus56 in 100 of its 283 stories · usually 53 · mostly rights & justice Iraq54 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Sri Lanka53 in 100 of its 179 stories · usually 36 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US210 stories about protests or strikes, of its 755 Jerusalem Israel71 stories about protests or strikes, of its 191 Beijing China67 stories about protests or strikes, of its 155 Minsk Belarus60 stories about protests or strikes, of its 137 Tulsa US49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 87

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: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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: too little coverage to readUnited 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurkey: 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: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: too little coverage to readEswatini: 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 lessSri Lanka: about as warm as its own usual or lessSpain: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSierra Leone: about as warm as its own usual or lessSeychelles: about as warm as its own usual or lessSerbia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalau: too little coverage to readPakistan: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalta: about as warm as its own usual or lessMali: about as warm as its own usual or lessMalaysia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: too little coverage to readLatvia: 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 lessIsrael: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessHungary: about as warm as its own usual or lessHonduras: about as warm as its own usual or lessHaiti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuyana: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: too little coverage to readGhana: 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: 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 lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEquatorial Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEl 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreenland: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: about as warm as its own usual or lessCosta Rica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDR 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCape 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 lessBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAustralia: about as warm as its own usual or lessHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArgentina: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & Barbuda: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: 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 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 readCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: about as warm as its own usual or lessVatican City: too little coverage to readMarshall 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBermuda: 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: too little coverage to readSan 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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 readSyria: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualIreland: warmth about its own usualEthiopia: warmth about its own usualArmenia: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualHawaii, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 18 outletsColchester, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 18 outletsBrooklyn, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 32 outletsGandhi Nagar, India -- health: 13 stories, carried by 14 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 21 stories, carried by 12 outletsBelfast, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 11 outletsBrussels, Belgium -- health: 11 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

No country's news was much warmer than its usual (a quarter or more).

Warmest events

● Hawaii US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Colchester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Brooklyn US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Gandhi Nagar India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Dubai United Arab Emirates about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health49% 9,998 stories · less than usual (usually 52%) Rights & justice20% 4,099 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 2,112 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence10% 2,082 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 800 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 558 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 509 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 297 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 killed5,665 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,662 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,614 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured929 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting refugees176 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced144 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations131 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill37 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and China

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 softer 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

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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.