← 30 May Monday 31 May 2021 · to 23:59 UTC 1 Jun →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
14,471 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 people affected in Haiti, flooding in New Zealand and protests in Abuja (Nigeria). Nigeria's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 48 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostNew Zealand 33 in 100 of its 614 stories, usually 22
RegionOceania 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
Tone of the words Harsher than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Haiti

23 of its 27 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Hunger was named in 18 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with diphtheria, measles and outbreaks. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

Haiti over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

New Zealand

203 of its 614 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories). Flooding was named in 77 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.

New Zealand over 30 days → its stories →
Protests & strikes

Nigeria

39 of Abuja's 75 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (43 stories). Drownings were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Nigeria over 30 days → its stories → Abuja stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Health

Peru

26 of its 56 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Congo

18 of its 20 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Reports of refugees ran at about 9 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Liberia

15 of its 36 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. 3 of Port of Buchanan's 3 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Palestine

Gaza accounted for 35 of Palestine's 51 stories about harm, carried by 31 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Singapore

75 of its 184 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Outbreaks were named in 36 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Health

UK

Train derailment was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Singapore (36 of its stories, about three times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (21 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plane crash in US (92 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in UK (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

24 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 25; 27 the day before
29 in 10024 in 1002 May9 May16 May23 May31 May2 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 10031 May: 24 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 31 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 14,471 stories about harm among 59,147 counted on 31 May.

Read the day's briefing

In Haiti, 85% of the news was about people being harmed, where 40% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 24 in every 100 of the day's 59,147 stories, as usual. On 31 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 38 in every 100, against 24 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Rwanda62 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 57 · mostly disasters & accidents Colombia56 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 53 · mostly rights & justice Bangladesh54 in 100 of its 214 stories · usually 47 · mostly health Nepal51 in 100 of its 75 stories · usually 52 · mostly health Palestine50 in 100 of its 101 stories · usually 51 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tulsa US79 stories about protests or strikes, of its 159 Washington US75 stories about protests or strikes, of its 352 Jerusalem Israel57 stories about protests or strikes, of its 179 Abuja Nigeria39 stories about protests or strikes, of its 75 Beijing China27 stories about protests or strikes, of its 83

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: too little coverage to readYemen: about as warm as its own usual or lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: too little coverage to readVanuatu: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: about as warm as its own usual or lessTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: too little coverage to readPoland: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMali: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLuxembourg: too little coverage to readLithuania: too little coverage to readLibya: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKyrgyzstan: too little coverage to readKuwait: 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 lessItaly: about as warm as its own usual or lessPalestine: 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: too little coverage to readHaiti: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: 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: too little coverage to readEgypt: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessFaroe Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessDenmark: about as warm as its own usual or lessCzech Republic: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBolivia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBangladesh: too little coverage to readBahrain: 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: 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: too little coverage to readJammu & Kashmir: 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 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 lessEast Jerusalem: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: about as warm as its own usual or lessLiechtenstein: about as warm as its own usual or lessWallis & 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readJamaica: warmth about its own usualIsrael: warmth about its own usualCyprus: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualRaanana, Israel -- conflict & violence: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsTennessee, US -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsBristol, UK -- health: 27 stories, carried by 137 outletsHawaii, US -- health: 11 stories, carried by 11 outletsBhubaneswar, India -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsMiddlesbrough, UK -- health: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsManipal, India -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsMilan, Italy -- health: 16 stories, carried by 32 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

● Raanana Israel about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 11 stories ● Tennessee US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 27 stories ● Hawaii US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Bhubaneswar India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health48% 6,931 stories · less than usual (usually 51%) Rights & justice17% 2,483 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence14% 1,958 stories · more than usual (usually 11%) Disasters & accidents10% 1,476 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 677 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 301 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 277 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 208 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 killed4,564 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,085 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests998 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured744 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions178 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and Niger Stories reporting refugees106 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced104 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations100 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about New Zealand and the US Stories reporting people falling ill13 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 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.