← 29 May Sunday 30 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 31 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
10,901 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 Canada, protests in Bogota (Colombia) and road crashes in Italy. Colombia's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 48 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostSouth Africa 45 in 100 of its 363 stories, usually 28
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 41 in 100 of its stories, usually 32
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 →
Health

Canada

345 of its 980 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (165 stories). Avalanche was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hunger. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Canada over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Colombia

48 of its 63 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. 12 of Bogota's 15 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Bogota stories →
Disasters & accidents

Italy

85 of its 236 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (23 stories). Road crashes were named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.

Italy over 30 days → its stories →
Conflict & violence

Nigeria

345 of its 830 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Brazil

48 of its 95 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 12 of Rio de Janeiro's 14 stories were about protests or strikes. Flu was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Cuba

26 of its 42 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 5 of Havana's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories).

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

103 of its 330 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories). Flooding was named in 49 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain and power cuts.

its stories →
Health

China

306 of its 921 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate (7 stories). Ebola was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Belarus

63 of its 99 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Minsk accounted for 45 of Belarus' 63 stories about harm, carried by 75 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (27 stories).

its stories →
Health

Vietnam

105 of its 227 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (71 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in New Zealand (49 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in Lebanon (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); earthquake in Rwanda (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in Brazil (15 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); oil spill in Sri Lanka (15 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

27 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 25 the day before
29 in 10024 in 1001 May8 May15 May22 May30 May1 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 10029 May: 25 in 10030 May: 27 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 10,901 stories about harm among 40,202 counted on 30 May.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of flooding ran more than ten times their usual in New Zealand's news. On 30 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 36 in every 100, against 27 today. Stories about people being harmed made up 27 in every 100 of the day's 40,202 stories, above the usual 25. Canada's news was 35% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%. This week the news turned most often to Rwanda, on 5 of 7 days.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Colombia76 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 52 · mostly rights & justice Afghanistan69 in 100 of its 140 stories · usually 65 · mostly conflict & violence Belarus64 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 55 · mostly rights & justice Nepal59 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Palestine59 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US123 stories about protests or strikes, of its 311 Jerusalem Israel65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 172 Tulsa US61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 104 London UK32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 187 Melbourne Australia20 stories about protests or strikes, of its 84

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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: too little coverage to readSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPapua 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: too little coverage to readOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: too little coverage to readNorth Macedonia: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: too little coverage to readLesotho: too little coverage to readLebanon: 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: too little coverage to readJordan: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina 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: too little coverage to readBolivia: 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: too little coverage to readBangladesh: 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 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: too little coverage to readAfghanistan: 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: 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: too little coverage to readBermuda: too little coverage to readBritish 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: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: 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: 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 readIsrael: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualPalestine: warmth about its own usualNadda, India -- health: 21 stories, carried by 16 outletsArlington, US -- health: 52 stories, carried by 109 outletsMinnesota, US -- health: 12 stories, carried by 18 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 18 stories, carried by 138 outletsWest Midlands, UK -- rights & justice: 18 stories, carried by 11 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsGaza, Palestine -- conflict & violence: 27 stories, carried by 24 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

● Nadda India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 21 stories ● Arlington US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 52 stories ● Minnesota US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 12 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● West Midlands UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 18 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health48% 5,163 stories · less than usual (usually 51%) Rights & justice18% 1,960 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 1,459 stories · more than usual (usually 10%) Disasters & accidents11% 1,160 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 519 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 228 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 183 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 129 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 killed3,767 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting arrests833 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected806 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured794 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting abductions116 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting evacuations81 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about New Zealand and the US Stories reporting people displaced74 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees49 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting people falling ill24 at about twice 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
● 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.