← 19 May Tuesday 20 May 2025 · to 23:59 UTC 21 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,258 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 illness in Geneva, rights and justice in Colombo and violence in Tripoli. Sri Lanka's coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 31 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostTanzania 58 in 100 of its 62 stories, usually 23
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 27 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
Tone of the words Much softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Health

Switzerland

91 of its 278 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Geneva accounted for 59 of Switzerland's 91 stories about harm, carried by 86 outlets. Covid was named in 43 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.

Switzerland over 30 days → its stories → Geneva stories →
Rights & justice

Sri Lanka

65 of its 155 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Colombo accounted for 35 of Sri Lanka's 65 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Disasters & accidents

Mexico

118 of its 375 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (74 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

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

France

Reports of evacuations ran at about 8 times the usual rate (7 stories). Road crashes were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Mali

3 of Mopti's 4 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

India

Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Covid was named in 100 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (47 stories). Heatwave was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Tanzania

36 of its 62 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 16 of Dar es Salaam's 18 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Sierra Leone

17 of its 30 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories).

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flu in Brazil (20 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); natural hazards in Venezuela (16 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); covid in India (100 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); road crashes in France (12 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); heatwave in Pakistan (17 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

19 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
21 in 10017 in 10021 Apr28 Apr5 May12 May20 May21 Apr: 19 in 10022 Apr: 18 in 10023 Apr: 19 in 10024 Apr: 19 in 10025 Apr: 18 in 10026 Apr: 20 in 10027 Apr: 21 in 10028 Apr: 19 in 10029 Apr: 18 in 10030 Apr: 18 in 1001 May: 18 in 1002 May: 18 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 19 in 1005 May: 19 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 20 in 1008 May: 19 in 1009 May: 18 in 10010 May: 19 in 10011 May: 19 in 10012 May: 18 in 10013 May: 18 in 10014 May: 18 in 10015 May: 17 in 10016 May: 18 in 10017 May: 20 in 10018 May: 19 in 10019 May: 19 in 10020 May: 19 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 18,258 stories about harm among 98,525 counted on 20 May.

Read the day's briefing

Switzerland's news mentioned Covid about 7 times as often as usual. 19 in every 100 of the day's 98,525 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Switzerland, 33% of the news was about people being harmed, where 17% is usual. A year earlier, on 20 May 2024, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan62 in 100 of its 77 stories · usually 67 · mostly conflict & violence Israel58 in 100 of its 1,285 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Tanzania58 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 23 · mostly rights & justice Palestine52 in 100 of its 234 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Syria49 in 100 of its 162 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US152 stories about protests or strikes, of its 840 Newark US59 stories about protests or strikes, of its 171 London UK42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 272 Jerusalem Israel25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 146 Hollywood US25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 177

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 lessVanuatu: about as warm as its own usual or lessUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessU.S. Virgin Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman Islands: too little coverage to readIsle 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: too little coverage to readTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: too little coverage to readTimor-Leste: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovakia: about as warm as its own usual or lessSlovenia: too little coverage to readSingapore: 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: too little coverage to readSaudi 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: too little coverage to readMoldova: too little coverage to readMexico: 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: too little coverage to readMadagascar: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorth 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: 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: 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: 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 lessIraq: 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: too little coverage to readGreece: 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: too little coverage to readGambia: about as warm as its own usual or lessGabon: about as warm as its own usual or lessFrance: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Pierre & Miquelon: too little coverage to readFrench Polynesia: about as warm as its own usual or lessNew 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEstonia: too little coverage to readEritrea: too little coverage to readEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEl 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: 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: 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 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: too little coverage to readCape 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: too little coverage to readBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: too little coverage to readBotswana: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMarshall Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorthern Mariana Islands: too little coverage to readAmerican Samoa: too little coverage to readChagos Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: about as warm as its own usual or lessMaldives: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readVenezuela: warmth about its own usualThailand: warmth about its own usualSwitzerland: warmth about its own usualSri Lanka: warmth about its own usualIran: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualMontana, US -- health: 17 stories, carried by 54 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 59 stories, carried by 86 outletsSacramento, US -- disasters & accidents: 22 stories, carried by 17 outletsCairo, Egypt -- health: 16 stories, carried by 13 outletsKailahun, Sierra Leone -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 16 outletsRome, Italy -- health: 10 stories, carried by 13 outletsBicester, UK -- disasters & accidents: 34 stories, carried by 24 outletsLucknow, India -- conflict & violence: 15 stories, carried by 15 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

● Montana US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 17 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 59 stories ● Sacramento US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 22 stories ● Cairo Egypt about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Kailahun Sierra Leone about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health31% 5,496 stories · more than usual (usually 26%) Rights & justice24% 4,334 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents18% 3,293 stories · more than usual (usually 16%) Conflict & violence13% 2,380 stories · much less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 802 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 738 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 538 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 374 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 killed4,102 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,086 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,762 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured865 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting abductions359 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees205 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced175 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations125 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill26 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 much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.

● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than usual
● Feara little less than 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

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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.