South Korea
92 of its 263 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Seoul accounted for 57 of South Korea's 92 stories about harm, carried by 234 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
Most of the day's attention went to illness in Seoul, violence in Tehran and protests in Khartoum (Sudan). Iran's coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was much harsher than usual.
Part of lifeHealth
41 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual
Country that rose mostSwitzerland
19 in 100 of its 427 stories, usually 6
RegionSouth Asia
34 in 100 of its stories, usually 30
Tone of the words
Much harsher than usual
across the world's stories about harm
What the world's news was about today
how these are picked →Iran
82 of its 150 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Tehran accounted for 57 of Iran's 82 stories about harm, carried by 111 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Sudan
16 of its 23 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. 7 of Khartoum's 11 stories were about protests or strikes.
South Africa
Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Heavy rain was named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual, with landslides.
6 more places the news pointed at
Canada
247 of its 750 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (46 stories). Tornadoes were named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with power cuts, storms and food poisoning.
Germany
60 of its 219 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (13 stories). Tornadoes were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual.
India
758 of its 2,299 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Landslides were named in 46 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with road crashes.
Ukraine
Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (46 stories). Hepatitis was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Bangladesh
Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (21 stories). Flooding was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Switzerland
81 of its 427 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 6%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories).
Also named far more than usual: illness in Israel (33 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flooding in Bangladesh (17 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tsunami in Japan (16 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); wildfires in Australia (32 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); respiratory illness in China (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
24 in 100 stories were about harm
usually 22; 23 the day beforeStories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 9,390 stories about harm among 39,339 counted on 22 May.
Read the day's briefing
It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 18 April 2022. of the day's 39,339 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. South Africa's news mentioned heavy rain about 8 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 22 May 2021, 26 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today. In South Korea, 35% of the news was about people being harmed, where 22% is usual. This week the news turned most often to North Korea, on 4 of 7 days.
- 24 in every 100 of the day's 39,339 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 22).
- South Korea: 92 of its 263 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%.
- Iran: 82 of its 150 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%.
- Sudan: 16 of its 23 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%.
- South Africa: Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories).
- Mentions of heavy rain ran about 8 times their usual in South Africa's news.
- Mentions of flooding ran about 5 times their usual in Bangladesh's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were much harsher than usual.
- It was the highest share of stories about people being harmed since 18 April 2022.
- A year earlier, on 22 May 2021, 26 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today.
- This week the news turned most often to North Korea, on 4 of 7 days.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Where harm was most of the news all →
North Korea68 in 100 of its 62 stories · usually 53 · mostly health Iran55 in 100 of its 150 stories · usually 42 · mostly conflict & violence Taiwan50 in 100 of its 88 stories · usually 34 · mostly health Kashmir49 in 100 of its 79 stories · usually 51 · mostly disasters & accidents Ukraine46 in 100 of its 790 stories · usually 45 · mostly conflict & violenceCountries with at least 50 stories that day.
Where people protested
Washington US45 stories about protests or strikes, of its 318 Jerusalem Israel22 stories about protests or strikes, of its 58 Islamabad Pakistan22 stories about protests or strikes, of its 60 Kyiv Ukraine22 stories about protests or strikes, of its 124 London UK16 stories about protests or strikes, of its 147Stories, not people.
Where it happened
feelings in full →
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersPeople displacedDeaths, cause not givenProtests & strikesDisease & outbreaks
The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its stories.
Biggest events
● Donbas Ukraine attacks & violence · 66 stories, 340 outlets ● Otsego County US accidents & disasters · 20 stories, 98 outlets ● Tehran Iran attacks & violence · 57 stories, 111 outlets ● Kyiv Ukraine attacks & violence · 124 stories, 166 outlets ● Tel Aviv Israel disease & outbreaks · 22 stories, 105 outlets ● Sydney Australia accidents & disasters · 76 stories, 267 outlets ● Manchester UK attacks & violence · 64 stories, 168 outlets ● Jerusalem Israel attacks & violence · 58 stories, 88 outletsThe day in three measures
Parts of life 30 days →
Health41% 3,795 stories · about as usual Rights & justice18% 1,699 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents14% 1,282 stories · more than usual (usually 11%) Conflict & violence12% 1,134 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood6% 555 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given4% 357 stories · about as usual Shelter & services3% 286 stories · about as usual Displacement2% 194 stories · about as usualOf the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.
Harm reported 30 days →
Stories reporting people killed2,316 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected839 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests770 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured726 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about the US and Ukraine Stories reporting refugees153 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations80 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people displaced67 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions61 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill26 at about twice the usual rate · most about the US and CanadaStories 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 harsher than 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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These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.