← 19 May Saturday 20 May 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
11,926 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 protests in Isfahan (Iran) and a disaster in Cachiporro and Hanoi. Iran's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Everywhere we counted, the words were about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 32 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostIran 59 in 100 of its 147 stories, usually 42
RegionSoutheast Asia 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 23
Tone of the words About as usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Iran

87 of its 147 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Isfahan accounted for 30 of Iran's 87 stories about harm, carried by 31 outlets. 26 of Isfahan's 30 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Iran over 30 days → its stories → Isfahan stories →
Disasters & accidents

Colombia

29 of its 45 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Cachiporro accounted for 14 of Colombia's 29 stories about harm, carried by 212 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Accidents were named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.

Colombia over 30 days → its stories → Cachiporro stories →
Health

Vietnam

298 of its 945 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Hanoi accounted for 149 of Vietnam's 298 stories about harm, carried by 5 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (58 stories). Food poisoning was named in 52 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with poisoning, outbreaks and bird flu.

Vietnam over 30 days → its stories → Hanoi stories →
Conflict & violence

Saudi Arabia

69 of its 243 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Italy

105 of its 437 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (10 stories). Landslides were named in 35 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.

its stories →
Health

Malawi

20 of its 38 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Cholera 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 →
Protests & strikes

Georgia

11 of its 28 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. 8 of Tbilisi's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Japan

Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (73 stories). Outbreaks were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Pakistan

49 of Islamabad's 92 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Displacement

Sudan

Khartoum accounted for 96 of Sudan's 124 stories about harm, carried by 191 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (58 stories). 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.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Italy (35 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tsunami in Vanuatu (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); typhoon in Guam (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Mexico (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Spain (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).

17 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
19 in 10017 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 Apr: 17 in 10022 Apr: 19 in 10023 Apr: 19 in 10024 Apr: 18 in 10025 Apr: 18 in 10026 Apr: 18 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 17 in 10029 Apr: 17 in 10030 Apr: 18 in 1001 May: 18 in 1002 May: 18 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 18 in 1005 May: 18 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 19 in 1008 May: 19 in 1009 May: 19 in 10010 May: 18 in 10011 May: 18 in 10012 May: 18 in 10013 May: 18 in 10014 May: 19 in 10015 May: 18 in 10016 May: 17 in 10017 May: 18 in 10018 May: 18 in 10019 May: 18 in 10020 May: 17 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 20 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 11,926 stories about harm among 69,098 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

It was the lowest share of stories about people being harmed since 22 March 2023. of the day's 69,098 news stories, 17 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. the news turned to Iran for the second day running. Mentions of landslides ran about 4 times their usual in Italy's news. A year earlier, on 20 May 2022, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan71 in 100 of its 175 stories · usually 77 · mostly displacement Iran59 in 100 of its 147 stories · usually 42 · mostly rights & justice Palestine58 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 58 · mostly conflict & violence Syria58 in 100 of its 71 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Pakistan45 in 100 of its 687 stories · usually 40 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US96 stories about protests or strikes, of its 351 Islamabad Pakistan49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 92 Lahore Pakistan48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 86 Chicago US35 stories about protests or strikes, of its 131 Manhattan US32 stories about protests or strikes, of its 87

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zimbabwe: feelings about like the world'sZambia: feelings about like the world'sVenezuela: feelings about like the world'sVanuatu: feelings about like the world'sUzbekistan: feelings about like the world'sUruguay: feelings about like the world'sMicronesia: feelings about like the world'sU.S. Virgin Islands: feelings about like the world'sGuam: 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 Kingdom: feelings about like the world'sUnited Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sUganda: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: too little coverage to readTurkey: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: feelings about like the world'sThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: too little coverage to readTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sSweden: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: feelings about like the world'sSouth Sudan: feelings about like the world'sSpain: feelings about like the world'sSouth Africa: feelings about like the world'sSomalia: feelings about like the world'sSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: 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 readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: feelings about like the world'sSt Vincent: too little coverage to readSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: 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: too little coverage to readPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNorth Korea: feelings about like the world'sNiger: feelings about like the world'sNicaragua: feelings about like the world'sNew Zealand: feelings about like the world'sNiue: too little coverage to readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNepal: feelings about like the world'sNamibia: feelings about like the world'sMozambique: 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 readMexico: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: feelings about like the world'sMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: feelings about like the world'sMali: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: 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'sLiberia: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: too little coverage to readLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: feelings about like the world'sKyrgyzstan: feelings about like the world'sKuwait: feelings about like the world'sKosovo: too little coverage to readKiribati: too little coverage to readKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIndia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHaiti: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: too little coverage to readGuatemala: 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'sGambia: feelings about like the world'sGabon: too little coverage to readSt 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'sEthiopia: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl Salvador: feelings about like the world'sEgypt: feelings about like the world'sEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: feelings about like the world'sDominica: too little coverage to readGreenland: too little coverage to readFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: too little coverage to readChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: feelings about like the world'sCanada: feelings about like the world'sCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: too little coverage to readBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: feelings about like the world'sBrazil: feelings about like the world'sBotswana: feelings about like the world'sBosnia and Herzegovina: feelings about like the world'sBolivia: feelings about like the world'sBhutan: feelings about like the world'sBenin: feelings about like the world'sBelize: feelings about like the world'sBelarus: feelings about like the world'sBarbados: feelings about like the world'sBangladesh: feelings about like the world'sBahrain: feelings about like the world'sBahamas: feelings about like the world'sAustria: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readAntigua & Barbuda: feelings about like the world'sAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: feelings about like the world'sAlbania: feelings about like the world'sWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: too little coverage to readNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readGuernsey: 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: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: too little coverage to readLiechtenstein: 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 readYemen: coverage a little angrier than the world'sVietnam: coverage a little warmer than the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSyria: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSwitzerland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sSudan: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sSaudi Arabia: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sRwanda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPoland: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sPeru: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sNigeria: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sNetherlands: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sMalawi: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKenya: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sJordan: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sJapan: coverage a little warmer than the world'sJamaica: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sIsrael: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIreland: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIraq: coverage a little angrier than the world'sIran: coverage about three times as grief-stricken as the world'sHonduras: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGuyana: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sGeorgia: coverage a little angrier than the world'sFrance: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDjibouti: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sDenmark: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sCongo: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sColombia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMyanmar: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sBelgium: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sAzerbaijan: coverage a little warmer than 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'sAfghanistan: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage a little angrier than the world'sKashmir: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sSt. Helena: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBermuda: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sJersey: coverage a little more grief-stricken than 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

● Iran about three times as grief-stricken as the world's · 87 stories about harm ● Kashmir about twice as fearful as the world's · 50 stories about harm ● Pakistan about twice as fearful as the world's · 307 stories about harm ● Sudan about twice as angry as the world's · 124 stories about harm ● Ukraine about twice as angry as the world's · 151 stories about harm ● Malawi few stories about one and a half times as fearful as the world's · 20 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health32% 3,729 stories · about as usual Rights & justice25% 2,883 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents16% 1,875 stories · more than usual (usually 14%) Conflict & violence13% 1,549 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 582 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 435 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 333 stories · about as usual Displacement3% 309 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 killed2,924 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,336 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,255 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured663 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and India Stories reporting people displaced184 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Sudan and the US Stories reporting refugees180 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions112 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations89 at about half the usual rate · most about Canada and Sudan

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 about as 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.