← 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.

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 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomalia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSomaliland: too little coverage to readSolomon Islands: too little coverage to readSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: 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: too little coverage to readPapua New Guinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessPanama: too little coverage to readPalau: 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: too little coverage to readMongolia: about as warm as its own usual or lessMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: too little coverage to readMauritius: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readLaos: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: about as warm as its own usual or lessKuwait: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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 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 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: too little coverage to readGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: 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: too little coverage to readNew Caledonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrench 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: too little coverage to readEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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: 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: too little coverage to readCuba: 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 lessHong Kong: about as warm as its own usual or lessChile: too little coverage to readChad: about as warm as its own usual or lessCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahamas: too little coverage to readAustria: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: too little coverage to readAlbania: about as warm as its own usual or lessAfghanistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessJammu & Kashmir: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPitcairn: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessAruba: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualJapan: warmth about its own usualGermany: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualAzerbaijan: warmth about one and a half times its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualMissouri, US -- rights & justice: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsSouth Wales, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 95 outletsExeter, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 11 outletsNairobi, Kenya -- health: 19 stories, carried by 15 outletsAthens, Greece -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsJeddah, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 26 stories, carried by 25 outletsHiroshima, Japan -- conflict & violence: 151 stories, carried by 353 outletsBeijing, China -- rights & justice: 77 stories, carried by 199 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

● Azerbaijan warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Missouri US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 10 stories ● South Wales US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Exeter UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 10 stories ● Nairobi Kenya about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Athens Greece about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 14 stories

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.