← 11 May Tuesday 12 May 2020 · to 23:59 UTC 13 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
39,385 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 →

Most of the day's attention went to violence in Kabul, evacuations in Russia and protests in Niamey (Niger). Afghanistan's coverage was about 6 times as angry as the world's. Taken together, the world's news read about as usual.

Part of lifeHealth 76 in 100 of the stories about harm · less than usual Country that rose mostAfghanistan 87 in 100 of its 350 stories, usually 71
RegionEvery region about as usual
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 →
Conflict & violence

Afghanistan

303 of its 350 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Kabul accounted for 251 of Afghanistan's 303 stories about harm, carried by 398 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (45 stories). Its coverage was about 6 times as angry as the world's.

Afghanistan over 30 days → its stories → Kabul stories →
Health

Russia

502 of its 1,069 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (78 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

Russia over 30 days → its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bahamas

Hurricane was named in 24 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with tropical storm. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

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

Palestine

73 of its 120 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Jenin accounted for 51 of Palestine's 73 stories about harm, carried by 63 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Libya

29 of its 42 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Tripoli accounted for 26 of Libya's 29 stories about harm, carried by 22 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

229 of its 456 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Seoul accounted for 133 of South Korea's 229 stories about harm, carried by 241 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Health

Australia

Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Ebola was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

Sudan

27 of its 35 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

71 of its 136 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 22 of Mong Kok's 34 stories were about protests or strikes.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: flooding in Somalia (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); hiv in Malawi (12 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hiv in Poland (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in Malaysia (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); tropical storm in Philippines (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

34 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 37; 34 the day before
42 in 10033 in 10013 Apr20 Apr27 Apr4 May12 May13 Apr: 42 in 10014 Apr: 40 in 10015 Apr: 39 in 10016 Apr: 38 in 10017 Apr: 38 in 10018 Apr: 40 in 10019 Apr: 42 in 10020 Apr: 38 in 10021 Apr: 37 in 10022 Apr: 37 in 10023 Apr: 37 in 10024 Apr: 36 in 10025 Apr: 37 in 10026 Apr: 39 in 10027 Apr: 37 in 10028 Apr: 37 in 10029 Apr: 36 in 10030 Apr: 35 in 1001 May: 35 in 1002 May: 37 in 1003 May: 38 in 1004 May: 36 in 1005 May: 35 in 1006 May: 35 in 1007 May: 34 in 1008 May: 33 in 1009 May: 36 in 10010 May: 38 in 10011 May: 34 in 10012 May: 34 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 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 39,385 stories about harm among 114,639 counted on 12 May.

Read the day's briefing

In the Bahamas' news, mentions of the hurricane ran about 4 times their usual. A year earlier, on 13 May 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 34 today. 34 in every 100 of the day's 114,639 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 37. In Afghanistan, 87% of the news was about people being harmed, where 71% is usual.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Afghanistan87 in 100 of its 350 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia75 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 70 · mostly health Yemen71 in 100 of its 93 stories · usually 75 · mostly health Syria66 in 100 of its 102 stories · usually 69 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh62 in 100 of its 303 stories · usually 59 · mostly health

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US240 stories about protests or strikes, of its 2283 Kabul Afghanistan61 stories about protests or strikes, of its 251 Wuhan China60 stories about protests or strikes, of its 713 London UK40 stories about protests or strikes, of its 626 Delhi India38 stories about protests or strikes, of its 538

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: too little coverage to readUruguay: about as warm as its own usual or lessMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: too little coverage to readPuerto 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTimor-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: too little coverage to readSwitzerland: 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 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: too little coverage to readRussia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessPakistan: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMontenegro: about as warm as its own usual or lessMongolia: 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: too little coverage to readMalawi: 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: too little coverage to readLaos: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessKenya: 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: too little coverage to readItaly: 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: too little coverage to readIceland: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuinea: about as warm as its own usual or lessGuatemala: about as warm as its own usual or lessGrenada: about as warm as its own usual or lessGreece: about as warm as its own usual or lessGhana: too little coverage to readGermany: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readDominica: about as warm as its own usual or lessDjibouti: 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: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: about as warm as its own usual or lessCuba: 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readAntigua & 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: 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 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): about as warm as its own usual or lessWestern Sahara (Free Zone): about as warm as its own usual or lessAzad 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessTurks & Caicos Islands: too little coverage to readMontserrat: about as warm as its own usual or lessJersey: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: about as warm as its own usual or lessNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readSyria: warmth about its own usualIraq: warmth about its own usualCongo: warmth about its own usualYorkshire, UK -- health: 15 stories, carried by 30 outletsDoha, Qatar -- health: 18 stories, carried by 13 outletsBedford, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 15 outletsNew Hampshire, US -- health: 24 stories, carried by 28 outletsMaine, US -- health: 35 stories, carried by 29 outletsWellington, New Zealand -- health: 33 stories, carried by 29 outletsBaghdad, Iraq -- conflict & violence: 29 stories, carried by 31 outletsReykjavik, Iceland -- health: 12 stories, carried by 13 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

● Yorkshire UK about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Doha Qatar about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 18 stories ● Bedford UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● New Hampshire US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 24 stories ● Maine US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 35 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health76% 29,848 stories · less than usual (usually 79%) Rights & justice9% 3,446 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents5% 1,834 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence4% 1,375 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given3% 1,075 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 758 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 400 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood1% 396 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 killed10,928 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,708 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,218 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,535 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations263 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Russia and Afghanistan Stories reporting refugees211 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced126 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill114 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions86 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 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.