← 11 May Friday 12 May 2023 · to 23:59 UTC 13 May →
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
22,117 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 protests in Islamabad (Pakistan), violence in Jerusalem and evacuations in Switzerland. Israel's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. In the world's news as a whole, the wording was softer than usual.

Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Mexico →
Part of lifeHealth 33 in 100 of the stories about harm · about as usual Country that rose mostPakistan 55 in 100 of its 1,236 stories, usually 35
RegionLatin America & Caribbean 26 in 100 of its stories, usually 22
Tone of the words Softer than usual across the world's stories about harm

What the world's news was about today

how these are picked →
Protests & strikes

Pakistan

679 of its 1,236 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Islamabad accounted for 441 of Pakistan's 679 stories about harm, carried by 578 outlets. 257 of Islamabad's 441 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (233 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

Pakistan over 30 days → its stories → Islamabad stories →
Conflict & violence

Israel

425 of its 719 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Jerusalem accounted for 255 of Israel's 425 stories about harm, carried by 457 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (177 stories). Natural hazards were named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.

Israel over 30 days → its stories → Jerusalem stories →
Health

Switzerland

105 of its 352 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Outbreaks were named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.

Switzerland over 30 days → its stories →
Rights & justice

Mali

32 of its 50 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.

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

Armenia

75 of its 140 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Sotk accounted for 41 of Armenia's 75 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (58 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Disasters & accidents

Bangladesh

113 of its 277 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (29 stories). Cyclone was named in 68 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storm surge, flooding and storms.

its stories →
Deaths & injuries, cause not given

Croatia

13 of its 46 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.

its stories →
Conflict & violence

Taiwan

38 of its 175 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.

its stories →
Health

Haiti

25 of its 39 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Hunger was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with cholera and outbreaks. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →
Protests & strikes

Senegal

11 of its 31 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 5 of Dakar's 9 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.

its stories →

Also named far more than usual: cyclone in Bangladesh (68 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Haiti (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Argentina (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); drought in Vietnam (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); cyclone in India (38 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).

18 in 100 stories were about harm

usually 18; 18 the day before
20 in 10017 in 10013 Apr20 Apr27 Apr4 May12 May13 Apr: 18 in 10014 Apr: 18 in 10015 Apr: 18 in 10016 Apr: 20 in 10017 Apr: 18 in 10018 Apr: 18 in 10019 Apr: 18 in 10020 Apr: 18 in 10021 Apr: 17 in 10022 Apr: 19 in 10023 Apr: 19 in 10024 Apr: 18 in 10025 Apr: 18 in 10026 Apr: 18 in 10027 Apr: 18 in 10028 Apr: 17 in 10029 Apr: 17 in 10030 Apr: 18 in 1001 May: 18 in 1002 May: 18 in 1003 May: 19 in 1004 May: 18 in 1005 May: 18 in 1006 May: 18 in 1007 May: 19 in 1008 May: 19 in 1009 May: 19 in 10010 May: 18 in 10011 May: 18 in 10012 May: 18 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 22,117 stories about harm among 122,173 counted on 12 May.

Read the day's briefing

For the fourth day running, the news turned to Pakistan. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 122,173 stories, as usual. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about the US and Mexico. On 12 May 2022, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 18 today. Pakistan stood out: 55% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 35%.

Written by code from the day's numbers.

Where harm was most of the news all →

Sudan70 in 100 of its 268 stories · usually 75 · mostly displacement Mali64 in 100 of its 50 stories · usually 45 · mostly rights & justice Palestine63 in 100 of its 98 stories · usually 57 · mostly conflict & violence Israel59 in 100 of its 719 stories · usually 40 · mostly conflict & violence Myanmar58 in 100 of its 53 stories · usually 58 · mostly rights & justice

Countries with at least 50 stories that day.

Where people protested

Islamabad Pakistan257 stories about protests or strikes, of its 441 Washington US139 stories about protests or strikes, of its 675 London UK84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 364 Manhattan US83 stories about protests or strikes, of its 257 New York US63 stories about protests or strikes, of its 326

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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessCayman 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 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: too little coverage to readTogo: 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: too little coverage to readTaiwan: 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 lessSweden: 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 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: too little coverage to readSlovenia: 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 lessSão Tomé: too little coverage to readSamoa: too little coverage to readSt Vincent: about as warm as its own usual or lessSt. Lucia: too little coverage to readRwanda: about as warm as its own usual or lessRussia: about as warm as its own usual or lessRomania: too little coverage to readQatar: about as warm as its own usual or lessPortugal: about as warm as its own usual or lessPoland: too little coverage to readPhilippines: 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 readOman: about as warm as its own usual or lessNorway: too little coverage to readNorth Korea: too little coverage to readNigeria: 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: 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: too little coverage to readMauritania: too little coverage to readMalta: 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: too little coverage to readLithuania: 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 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: 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: too little coverage to readIsrael: 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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessN. Cyprus: too little coverage to readCyprus: too little coverage to readCuba: about as warm as its own usual or lessCroatia: about as warm as its own usual or lessCôte d'Ivoire: too little coverage to readCosta 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessColombia: too little coverage to readChina: 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: too little coverage to readBurkina Faso: too little coverage to readBulgaria: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrunei: about as warm as its own usual or lessBrazil: about as warm as its own usual or lessBotswana: about as warm as its own usual or lessBosnia and Herzegovina: too little coverage to readBolivia: about as warm as its own usual or lessBhutan: about as warm as its own usual or lessBenin: too little coverage to readBelize: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessAntigua & 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): 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 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: 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: 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: too little coverage to readSan Marino: too little coverage to readSt Kitts & Nevis: too little coverage to readCook Islands: too little coverage to readAruba: 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: about as warm as its own usual or lessMayotte: too little coverage to readUnited Arab Emirates: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualSudan: warmth about its own usualSouth Korea: warmth about its own usualSingapore: warmth about its own usualSaudi Arabia: warmth about one and a half times its own usualPakistan: warmth about its own usualIndonesia: warmth about its own usualBelgium: warmth about its own usualUkraine: warmth about its own usualLeuven, Belgium -- health: 16 stories, carried by 15 outletsJeddah, Saudi Arabia -- conflict & violence: 32 stories, carried by 45 outletsNorth Carolina, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 18 outletsMuslim Bagh, Pakistan -- conflict & violence: 16 stories, carried by 17 outletsGlasgow, UK -- health: 53 stories, carried by 14 outletsMaine, US -- health: 19 stories, carried by 16 outletsDubai, United Arab Emirates -- health: 21 stories, carried by 13 outletsSaskatchewan, Canada -- health: 15 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

● Saudi Arabia warmth about one and a half times usual

Warmest events

● Leuven Belgium about twice as warm as the day's news · health · 16 stories ● Jeddah Saudi Arabia about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 32 stories ● North Carolina US about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 19 stories ● Muslim Bagh Pakistan about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · conflict & violence · 16 stories ● Glasgow UK about one and a half times as warm as the day's news · health · 53 stories

The day in three measures

Parts of life 30 days →

Health33% 7,217 stories · about as usual Rights & justice26% 5,627 stories · about as usual Disasters & accidents13% 2,824 stories · about as usual Conflict & violence10% 2,191 stories · less than usual (usually 12%) Deaths & injuries, cause not given5% 1,124 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood5% 1,062 stories · about as usual Shelter & services4% 867 stories · about as usual Displacement4% 808 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 killed5,083 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,563 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests2,497 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,330 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees639 at about three times the usual rate · most about the US and Mexico Stories reporting people displaced226 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions181 at about the usual rate Stories reporting evacuations156 at about half the usual rate · most about Bangladesh and Canada Stories reporting people falling ill7 at about half the usual rate · most about India 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 softer 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

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.