← 20 May Wednesday 21 May 2025 · to 23:59 UTC 22 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,927 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 violence in Kabul, a disaster in Cabinda and protests in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). Afghanistan's coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Language across the world's news ran much softer than usual.

Part of lifeHealth 29 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostSouth Africa 45 in 100 of its 989 stories, usually 30
RegionSub-Saharan Africa 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 26
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 →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

64 of its 115 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Kabul accounted for 33 of Afghanistan's 64 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Disasters & accidents

Angola

18 of its 25 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Cabinda accounted for 10 of Angola's 18 stories about harm, carried by 9 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (12 stories).

Angola over 30 days → its stories → Cabinda stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence

South Africa

441 of its 989 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (80 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Lebanon

Beirut accounted for 15 of Lebanon's 35 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Rights & justice

North Korea

16 of its 26 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).

its stories →
Health

Czechia

16 of its 51 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).

its stories →
Health

Netherlands

52 of its 198 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Somalia

17 of its 24 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: drought in Brazil (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Australia (28 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in India (49 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in Nigeria (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); tornadoes in UK (37 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 19; 19 the day before
21 in 10017 in 10022 Apr29 Apr6 May13 May21 May22 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 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 17,927 stories about harm among 98,264 counted on 21 May.

Read the day's briefing

Mentions of the drought ran more than ten times their usual in Brazil's news. of the day's 98,264 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Afghanistan stood out: 56% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 42%. On 21 May 2024, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, the same as today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan67 in 100 of its 63 stories · usually 67 · mostly rights & justice Israel56 in 100 of its 1,258 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Afghanistan56 in 100 of its 115 stories · usually 42 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine49 in 100 of its 329 stories · usually 59 · mostly conflict & violence Syria49 in 100 of its 121 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US123 stories about protests or strikes, of its 765 Newark US51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 166 Jerusalem Israel30 stories about protests or strikes, of its 148 London UK29 stories about protests or strikes, of its 291 Kerem Shalom Israel25 stories about protests or strikes, of its 86

Stories, not people.

The emotional weather

feelings in full →
Feelings Events Harm Warmth
Zambia: feelings about like the world'sVietnam: 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: too little coverage to readU.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 Arab Emirates: feelings about like the world'sTurkmenistan: feelings about like the world'sTunisia: feelings about like the world'sTrinidad & Tobago: feelings about like the world'sTonga: feelings about like the world'sTogo: feelings about like the world'sTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: feelings about like the world'sTanzania: feelings about like the world'sTajikistan: feelings about like the world'sTaiwan: feelings about like the world'sEswatini: feelings about like the world'sSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Korea: 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: too little coverage to readSerbia: too little coverage to readSenegal: feelings about like the world'sSaudi Arabia: feelings about like the world'sSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: feelings about like the world'sSt. Lucia: feelings about like the world'sRwanda: feelings about like the world'sRomania: feelings about like the world'sQatar: feelings about like the world'sPortugal: feelings about like the world'sPoland: feelings about like the world'sPhilippines: feelings about like the world'sPeru: feelings about like the world'sParaguay: feelings about like the world'sPapua New Guinea: feelings about like the world'sPanama: feelings about like the world'sPalau: too little coverage to readOman: feelings about like the world'sNorway: feelings about like the world'sNigeria: 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 readNetherlands: feelings about like the world'sCuraçao: 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: feelings about like the world'sMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: feelings about like the world'sMalaysia: feelings about like the world'sMalawi: feelings about like the world'sMadagascar: feelings about like the world'sLuxembourg: feelings about like the world'sLithuania: feelings about like the world'sLesotho: feelings about like the world'sLatvia: feelings about like the world'sLaos: 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 readKenya: feelings about like the world'sKazakhstan: feelings about like the world'sJordan: feelings about like the world'sJapan: feelings about like the world'sJamaica: feelings about like the world'sItaly: feelings about like the world'sIreland: feelings about like the world'sIraq: feelings about like the world'sIndonesia: feelings about like the world'sIceland: feelings about like the world'sHungary: feelings about like the world'sHonduras: feelings about like the world'sGuyana: feelings about like the world'sGuinea-Bissau: too little coverage to readGuinea: feelings about like the world'sGuatemala: feelings about like the world'sGrenada: too little coverage to readGreece: feelings about like the world'sGeorgia: 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 readFiji: feelings about like the world'sEstonia: feelings about like the world'sEritrea: feelings about like the world'sEquatorial Guinea: too little coverage to readEcuador: feelings about like the world'sDominican Republic: too little coverage to readDominica: feelings about like the world'sDjibouti: feelings about like the world'sGreenland: feelings about like the world'sFaroe Islands: too little coverage to readDenmark: feelings about like the world'sN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: feelings about like the world'sCuba: feelings about like the world'sCroatia: feelings about like the world'sCosta Rica: feelings about like the world'sDR Congo: feelings about like the world'sCongo: feelings about like the world'sComoros: too little coverage to readColombia: feelings about like the world'sHong Kong: feelings about like the world'sChile: feelings about like the world'sChad: feelings about like the world'sCentral African Republic: too little coverage to readCape Verde: too little coverage to readCameroon: feelings about like the world'sCambodia: feelings about like the world'sMyanmar: feelings about like the world'sBurundi: feelings about like the world'sBulgaria: feelings about like the world'sBrunei: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: feelings about like the world'sAustralia: feelings about like the world'sHeard & McDonald Islands: too little coverage to readArmenia: feelings about like the world'sArgentina: feelings about like the world'sAntigua & Barbuda: too little coverage to readAngola: feelings about like the world'sAndorra: too little coverage to readAlbania: too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Moroccan-controlled): too little coverage to readWestern Sahara (Free Zone): too little coverage to readVatican City: feelings about like the world'sMarshall Islands: feelings about like the world'sNorthern Mariana Islands: feelings about like the world'sAmerican Samoa: feelings about like the world'sChagos Islands: too little coverage to readSt. Helena: too little coverage to readPitcairn: too little coverage to readAnguilla: too little coverage to readBermuda: feelings about like the world'sBritish Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: too little coverage to readJersey: feelings about like the world'sGuernsey: feelings about like the world'sSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: feelings about like the world'sAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: feelings about like the world'sMaldives: 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: feelings about like the world'sNorfolk Island: too little coverage to readSint Maarten: too little coverage to readChristmas Island: too little coverage to readGibraltar: feelings about like the world'sMayotte: too little coverage to readZimbabwe: coverage a little angrier than the world'sYemen: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sUK: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sUganda: coverage a little warmer than the world'sTürkiye: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sSyria: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSwitzerland: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSweden: coverage a little warmer than the world'sSouth Sudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSudan: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sSri Lanka: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sSpain: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSouth Africa: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sSomalia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sRussia: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPakistan: coverage about twice as fearful as the world'sNorth Korea: coverage a little angrier than the world'sMexico: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sMalta: coverage a little warmer than the world'sMali: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sNorth Macedonia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sLibya: coverage a little angrier than the world'sLiberia: coverage a little warmer than the world'sLebanon: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIsrael: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIran: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sIndia: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sHaiti: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sGhana: coverage a little warmer than the world'sGermany: coverage a little angrier than the world'sFrance: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sFinland: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEthiopia: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEl Salvador: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sEgypt: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sCzechia: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sCôte d’Ivoire: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sCanada: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBurkina Faso: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sBrazil: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sBelgium: coverage a little warmer than the world'sBahamas: coverage a little more fearful than the world'sAustria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAlgeria: coverage a little more grief-stricken than the world'sAfghanistan: coverage about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sChina: coverage a little warmer than the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as the world'sUkraine: coverage about twice as grief-stricken as the world'sPalestine: coverage about one and a half times as angry as the world'sKashmir: coverage about one and a half times as fearful as 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

● Pakistan about twice as fearful as the world's · 438 stories about harm ● Israel about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 707 stories about harm ● Ukraine about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 84 stories about harm ● South Africa about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 441 stories about harm ● Spain about twice as grief-stricken as the world's · 115 stories about harm ● Russia about one and a half times as angry as the world's · 166 stories about harm

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health29% 5,045 stories · more than usual (usually 26%) Rights & justice24% 4,266 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents17% 3,018 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence15% 2,718 stories · less than usual (usually 20%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 812 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 741 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood3% 604 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 370 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 killed3,956 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,075 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,837 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured893 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Pakistan Stories reporting abductions277 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees252 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about South Africa and the US Stories reporting people displaced167 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations155 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Israel Stories reporting people falling ill45 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Canada

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 · 18 Oct – 24 Oct

The week in human impact

Read the week →

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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.