← 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.

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 lessVietnam: about as warm as its own usual or lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuam: 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTrinidad & Tobago: too little coverage to readTonga: too little coverage to readTogo: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-Leste: too little coverage to readThailand: about as warm as its own usual or lessTanzania: too little coverage to readTajikistan: about as warm as its own usual or lessTaiwan: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: too little coverage to readSouth Sudan: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNew 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: about as warm as its own usual or lessMexico: about as warm as its own usual or lessMauritius: too little coverage to readMauritania: 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: 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: 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 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 lessIran: about as warm as its own usual or lessIndonesia: too little coverage to readIndia: 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: 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: 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 readFiji: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: too little coverage to readCroatia: 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: too little coverage to readCongo: too little coverage to readComoros: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBurkina Faso: about as warm as its own usual or lessBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: too little coverage to readBrazil: 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: too little coverage to readBelarus: about as warm as its own usual or lessBarbados: about as warm as its own usual or lessBahrain: too little coverage to readBahamas: 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: too little coverage to readAndorra: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readNauru: 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 readYemen: warmth about its own usualPuerto Rico: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualMalta: warmth about its own usualFinland: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualBangladesh: warmth about its own usualChina: warmth about its own usualNarayanpur, India -- conflict & violence: 13 stories, carried by 15 outletsGeneva, Switzerland -- health: 26 stories, carried by 30 outletsTelangana, India -- conflict & violence: 33 stories, carried by 20 outletsKansas, US -- health: 16 stories, carried by 18 outletsBicester, UK -- disasters & accidents: 21 stories, carried by 17 outletsOttawa, Canada -- rights & justice: 12 stories, carried by 11 outletsYorkshire, UK -- health: 10 stories, carried by 10 outletsCopenhagen, Denmark -- health: 12 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

● Narayanpur India about twice as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 13 stories ● Geneva Switzerland about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 26 stories ● Telangana India about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 33 stories ● Kansas US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Bicester UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · disasters & accidents · 21 stories

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 · 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.