← 11 May Thursday 12 May 2022 · to 23:59 UTC 13 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
18,982 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 protests in Colombo (Sri Lanka), illness in Pyongyang and a disaster in Ljubljana. Sri Lanka's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was about as usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Chile →
Part of lifeHealth 46 in 100 of the stories about harm · more than usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 80 in 100 of its 275 stories, usually 14
RegionEast Asia 30 in 100 of its stories, usually 25
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 →
Protests & strikes

Sri Lanka

178 of its 353 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Colombo accounted for 130 of Sri Lanka's 178 stories about harm, carried by 138 outlets. 117 of Colombo's 130 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (104 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Health

North Korea

220 of its 275 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Pyongyang accounted for 182 of North Korea's 220 stories about harm, carried by 323 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Outbreaks were named in 171 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flu.

North Korea over 30 days → its stories → Pyongyang stories →
Conflict & violence

Belarus

17 of its 32 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories). Train derailment was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.

Belarus over 30 days → its stories →
6 more places the news pointed at
Protests & strikes

Hong Kong

66 of its 129 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 8 of Hong Kong Island's 16 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (28 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Togo

9 of its 15 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Iran

Tehran accounted for 57 of Iran's 81 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 130 of Israel's 267 stories about harm, carried by 177 outlets. Flooding was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Austria

36 of its 88 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (11 stories).

its stories →
Health

South Korea

104 of its 355 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Outbreaks were named in 37 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in South Korea (37 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hepatitis in Ireland (13 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in Australia (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in India (43 of its stories, about three times its usual); flooding in Israel (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

21 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 21 the day before
24 in 10020 in 10013 Apr20 Apr27 Apr4 May12 May13 Apr: 24 in 10014 Apr: 23 in 10015 Apr: 23 in 10016 Apr: 24 in 10017 Apr: 24 in 10018 Apr: 24 in 10019 Apr: 22 in 10020 Apr: 22 in 10021 Apr: 21 in 10022 Apr: 22 in 10023 Apr: 23 in 10024 Apr: 24 in 10025 Apr: 22 in 10026 Apr: 22 in 10027 Apr: 22 in 10028 Apr: 22 in 10029 Apr: 21 in 10030 Apr: 22 in 1001 May: 23 in 1002 May: 22 in 1003 May: 20 in 1004 May: 21 in 1005 May: 21 in 1006 May: 21 in 1007 May: 23 in 1008 May: 23 in 1009 May: 22 in 10010 May: 21 in 10011 May: 21 in 10012 May: 21 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 18,982 stories about harm among 89,434 counted on 12 May.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and Chile. 21 in every 100 of the day's 89,434 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. In North Korea's news, mentions of outbreaks ran more than ten times their usual. the news turned to Sri Lanka for the second day running. On 12 May 2021, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 21 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

North Korea80 in 100 of its 275 stories · usually 14 · mostly health Afghanistan61 in 100 of its 108 stories · usually 60 · mostly rights & justice Syria54 in 100 of its 59 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Palestine54 in 100 of its 202 stories · usually 56 · mostly conflict & violence Hong Kong51 in 100 of its 129 stories · usually 38 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US147 stories about protests or strikes, of its 859 Colombo Sri Lanka117 stories about protests or strikes, of its 130 Kyiv Ukraine60 stories about protests or strikes, of its 183 Beijing China47 stories about protests or strikes, of its 168 Chicago US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 174

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: too little coverage to readYemen: 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: too little coverage to readMicronesia: too little coverage to readU.S. Virgin Islands: too little coverage to readGuam: 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: too little coverage to readCayman Islands: about as warm as its own usual or lessIsle of Man: about as warm as its own usual or lessUnited 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessThailand: 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 lessSwitzerland: about as warm as its own usual or lessSweden: about as warm as its own usual or lessEswatini: about as warm as its own usual or lessSuriname: about as warm as its own usual or lessSouth 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readParaguay: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readKosovo: 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: too little coverage to readIraq: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readEquatorial 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessDominica: too little coverage to readDjibouti: too little coverage to readGreenland: 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 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 lessChina: 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: too little coverage to readCambodia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: too little coverage to readBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: about as warm as its own usual or lessBelize: too little coverage to readBelgium: 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: too little coverage to readAustralia: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAngola: too little coverage to readAndorra: too little coverage to readAlgeria: about as warm as its own usual or lessAlbania: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMayotte: too little coverage to readTunisia: warmth about its own usualSyria: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualHong Kong: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualInverness, UK -- health: 19 stories, carried by 11 outletsOregon, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 13 outletsNew Mexico, US -- health: 13 stories, carried by 12 outletsPerth, Australia -- health: 11 stories, carried by 12 outletsBristol, UK -- rights & justice: 50 stories, carried by 32 outletsLviv, Ukraine -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 16 outletsStockholm, Sweden -- health: 14 stories, carried by 16 outletsHong Kong Island, Hong Kong -- rights & justice: 16 stories, carried by 17 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

● Inverness UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Oregon US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● New Mexico US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 13 stories ● Perth Australia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 11 stories ● Bristol UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 50 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health46% 8,601 stories · more than usual (usually 43%) Rights & justice19% 3,510 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents10% 1,933 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence10% 1,793 stories · less than usual (usually 12%) Food & livelihood7% 1,361 stories · more than usual (usually 5%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 661 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 464 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 460 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 killed3,975 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected1,551 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,546 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,042 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees248 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ukraine and the US Stories reporting evacuations177 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ukraine and the US Stories reporting people displaced145 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ukraine and the US Stories reporting abductions108 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill37 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and Chile

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

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.