← 15 May Monday 16 May 2022 · to 23:59 UTC 17 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
17,400 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 people injured in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Worldwide, the words used were about as usual.

Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and North Korea →
Part of lifeHealth 41 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostNorth Korea 92 in 100 of its 189 stories, usually 37
RegionNorth America 28 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

Colombo accounted for 81 of Sri Lanka's 123 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. 51 of Colombo's 81 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (25 stories). Power cuts were named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.

Sri Lanka over 30 days → its stories → Colombo stories →
Conflict & violence

Burkina Faso

26 of its 35 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Taiwan

70 of its 147 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (27 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →
Health

South Korea

83 of its 281 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (9 stories). Outbreaks were named in 31 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

Jerusalem accounted for 146 of Israel's 250 stories about harm, carried by 354 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Pakistan

295 of its 714 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Malaysia

90 of its 230 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories).

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Finland

38 of its 150 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in South Korea (31 of its stories, about three times its usual); dust storm in Iraq (19 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); heavy rain in India (67 of its stories, about three times its usual); heavy rain in UK (38 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).

22 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 22; 24 the day before
24 in 10020 in 10017 Apr24 Apr1 May8 May16 May17 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 10013 May: 22 in 10014 May: 22 in 10015 May: 24 in 10016 May: 22 in 100 · this day

Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 16 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 17,400 stories about harm among 78,563 counted on 16 May.

Read the day's briefing

People falling ill were reported at about 5 times the usual rate, most often about the US and North Korea. of the day's 78,563 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. South Korea's news mentioned outbreaks about three times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 16 May 2021, 28 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 22 today.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

North Korea92 in 100 of its 189 stories · usually 37 · mostly health Palestine59 in 100 of its 99 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence Somalia56 in 100 of its 204 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence Cambodia51 in 100 of its 70 stories · usually 43 · mostly health Afghanistan51 in 100 of its 113 stories · usually 60 · mostly conflict & violence

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Washington US137 stories about protests or strikes, of its 784 Jerusalem Israel65 stories about protests or strikes, of its 146 Colombo Sri Lanka51 stories about protests or strikes, of its 81 Sokoto Nigeria45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 57 New York US34 stories about protests or strikes, of its 356

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 lessVenezuela: about as warm as its own usual or lessVanuatu: too little coverage to readUzbekistan: too little coverage to readUruguay: 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 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSyria: about as warm as its own usual or lessSwitzerland: 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: too little coverage to readSouth 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt 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: too little coverage to readPortugal: 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 readCuraçao: too little coverage to readNamibia: too little coverage to readMozambique: 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: too little coverage to readMoldova: 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: too little coverage to readNorth 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: too little coverage to readLebanon: about as warm as its own usual or lessLatvia: too little coverage to readKyrgyzstan: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessEthiopia: 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: too little coverage to readDominican 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: too little coverage to readN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: 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: 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 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 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: too little coverage to readBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: too little coverage to readBhutan: too little coverage to readBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: too little coverage to readAzerbaijan: 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 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 lessCrimea: about as warm as its own usual or lessEast Jerusalem: 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: too little coverage to readBritish 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: too little coverage to readNauru: too little coverage to readMonaco: too little coverage to readMaldives: 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 readVietnam: warmth about its own usualSweden: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualNetherlands: warmth about its own usualNepal: warmth about its own usualLaos: warmth about its own usualCuba: warmth about its own usualCambodia: warmth about its own usualAfghanistan: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualKashmir: warmth about its own usualArizona, US -- rights & justice: 29 stories, carried by 15 outletsGrand Rapids, US -- health: 14 stories, carried by 19 outletsBerkshire, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 15 outletsPhnom Penh, Cambodia -- health: 15 stories, carried by 18 outletsJammu, Kashmir -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 19 outletsKabul, Afghanistan -- conflict & violence: 28 stories, carried by 41 outletsEdinburgh, UK -- health: 16 stories, carried by 42 outletsSanaa, Yemen -- conflict & violence: 30 stories, carried by 38 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

● Arizona US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · rights & justice · 29 stories ● Grand Rapids US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 14 stories ● Berkshire UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Phnom Penh Cambodia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 15 stories ● Jammu Kashmir about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 28 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health41% 7,117 stories · about as usual Rights & justice19% 3,253 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence15% 2,530 stories · more than usual (usually 12%) Disasters & accidents11% 1,897 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood6% 1,023 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 728 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 412 stories · about as usual Displacement1% 253 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 killed4,804 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,698 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Ukraine Stories reporting people affected1,417 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,338 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees160 at about half the usual rate · most about Ukraine and the US Stories reporting people displaced114 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Ukraine and the US Stories reporting evacuations114 at about half the usual rate · most about the US and Ukraine Stories reporting people falling ill86 at about 5 times the usual rate · most about the US and North Korea Stories reporting abductions78 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US

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.