← 20 May Tuesday 21 May 2024 · to 23:59 UTC 22 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
19,401 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 day's news pointed at rights and justice in Damascus, a disaster in Bangkok and protests in Kalamata (Greece). Syria's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read harsher than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 30 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostSingapore 47 in 100 of its 474 stories, usually 16
RegionSoutheast Asia 33 in 100 of its stories, usually 24
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

Syria

81 of its 103 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Damascus accounted for 33 of Syria's 81 stories about harm, carried by 71 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (25 stories). Outbreaks were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Syria over 30 days → its stories → Damascus stories →
Disasters & accidents

Thailand

218 of its 463 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Bangkok accounted for 200 of Thailand's 218 stories about harm, carried by 331 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (173 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

Singapore

224 of its 474 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (143 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Food & livelihood

Haiti

41 of its 74 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 26 of Haiti's 41 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →
Rights & justice

Iran

Tehran accounted for 262 of Iran's 467 stories about harm, carried by 508 outlets. Flooding was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

UK

Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (17 stories). Hepatitis was named in 137 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with hiv. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

Poland

39 of its 131 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (18 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Bosnia

12 of its 13 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: landslides in Ecuador (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Pakistan (32 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Italy (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Taiwan (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); tsunami in Japan (19 of its stories, about three times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
20 in 10017 in 10022 Apr29 Apr6 May13 May21 May22 Apr: 17 in 10023 Apr: 17 in 10024 Apr: 18 in 10025 Apr: 18 in 10026 Apr: 17 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 19 in 10029 Apr: 18 in 10030 Apr: 18 in 1001 May: 19 in 1002 May: 18 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 19 in 1005 May: 20 in 1006 May: 19 in 1007 May: 17 in 1008 May: 18 in 1009 May: 18 in 10010 May: 18 in 10011 May: 18 in 10012 May: 19 in 10013 May: 18 in 10014 May: 18 in 10015 May: 17 in 10016 May: 18 in 10017 May: 18 in 10018 May: 18 in 10019 May: 19 in 10020 May: 18 in 10021 May: 18 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 19,401 stories about harm among 106,565 counted on 21 May.

Read the day's briefing

In Ecuador's news, mentions of landslides ran more than ten times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 106,565 stories, as usual. Syria's news was 79% about people being harmed, against a usual 50%. A year earlier, on 22 May 2023, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Syria79 in 100 of its 103 stories · usually 50 · mostly health Israel68 in 100 of its 1,678 stories · usually 66 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine61 in 100 of its 440 stories · usually 64 · mostly conflict & violence Haiti55 in 100 of its 74 stories · usually 42 · mostly food & livelihood Singapore47 in 100 of its 474 stories · usually 16 · mostly disasters & accidents

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Tehran Iran89 stories about protests or strikes, of its 262 Washington US79 stories about protests or strikes, of its 383 London UK51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 336 Gaza Palestine49 stories about protests or strikes, of its 185 Jerusalem Israel48 stories about protests or strikes, of its 259

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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: about as warm as its own usual or lessPuerto Rico: too little coverage to readUnited 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTogo: 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: 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: 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 Korea: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSt 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: 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: too little coverage to readPakistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessOman: too little coverage to readNorway: 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: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: 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: too little coverage to readLuxembourg: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessLebanon: 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 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 lessIreland: 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: too little coverage to readHungary: 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: too little coverage to readGrenada: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: too little coverage to readSt 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: too little coverage to readEthiopia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: about as warm as its own usual or lessEritrea: 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: too little coverage to readCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta Rica: too little coverage to readDR 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: too little coverage to readBulgaria: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAmerican Samoa: about as warm as its own usual or lessChagos 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontserrat: 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: 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: too little coverage to readWallis & Futuna: too little coverage to readSt. Martin: too little coverage to readSt. Barthélemy: too little coverage to readMacao: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorfolk 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 readSouth Africa: warmth about its own usualKazakhstan: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualIndiana, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 11 outletsNevada, US -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 56 outletsLagos, Nigeria -- food & livelihood: 35 stories, carried by 23 outletsCalgary, Canada -- health: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 19 stories, carried by 12 outletsTunis, Tunisia -- rights & justice: 11 stories, carried by 10 outletsKogi, Nigeria -- rights & justice: 14 stories, carried by 12 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

● Indiana US about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Nevada US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Lagos Nigeria about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · food & livelihood · 35 stories ● Calgary Canada about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Wellington New Zealand about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health30% 5,631 stories · about as usual Rights & justice25% 4,825 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents18% 3,420 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Conflict & violence12% 2,343 stories · less than usual (usually 14%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,017 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 714 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 650 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 454 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 killed4,755 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,309 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,993 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,442 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions520 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced261 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations240 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Australia and Israel Stories reporting refugees155 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting people falling ill11 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and the UK

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
● 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

Read the week →

Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.

Create a free account

Sign in · a username, an email and a password.

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.