The Graphic Truth: COVID-19 aid from the US, EU, Russia, and China

As countries around the world struggle to combat the coronavirus pandemic with increasingly scarce medical supplies, we've seen many nations extend a helping hand, donating supplies like masks and gowns, as well as sending planeloads of medical personnel to help hard-hit countries. So far, China and Russia, which have enthusiastically sent aid around the world, have garnered much attention, while the US has been criticized for not doing more to help the international community deal with the coronavirus crisis. But a fuller account of how relief has actually been divvied up over the past few months actually reveals a more nuanced picture than that. Take a look here.

The Graphic Truth: US jobless claims hit high – again

With large parts of the American economy shuttered because of coronavirus-related lockdowns, the number of people filing jobless claims in the US last week reached 6.6 million, by far the highest number on record. Over 10 million people filed unemployment claims in the last two weeks of March alone, more than were filed in the first six months of the Great Recession. The surge in jobless claims, which may still be a vast undercount of the number of people without work, is sure to cause a spike in the overall unemployment rate (which tells you the percent of work-ready people who are looking for a job). At last reading in February, unemployment was at a 50-year low of 3.5 percent. Some economists now warn that it could reach over 15 percent in the near term. Here's a look at the historical context.

The Graphic Truth: What if COVID-19 hits refugee camps?

The coronavirus pandemic is already wreaking havoc on developed countries where residents are able to socially distance themselves and self-quarantine. So what would happen if the contagion spread amongst the most vulnerable populations – refugees and asylum seekers in jam-packed camps? Many in refugee camps don't have access to running water or soap, which would make it all but impossible to slow the spread of the disease by washing their hands. Human rights advocates are bracing for a potential deadly outbreak at one these sites, where even ordinary infections spread like wildfire. Here's a look at some of the world's largest refugee camps, where the stakes are highest.

The Graphic Truth: EU vs US coronavirus toll

The United States now leads the world in reported coronavirus cases in a single country, with around 160,000. This dwarfs the figures from other leading hotspots in Europe such as Italy, Spain, France, and Germany. But how do the US numbers match up with the EU as a whole, where the population is more comparable?

The Graphic Truth: US jobless claims hit record high

With large parts of the American economy shuttered because of coronavirus-related lockdowns, the number of people filing jobless claims in the US last week exceeded 3.2 million, by far the highest number on record. Here's a look at the historical context. The surge in jobless claims, which may be an undercount, is sure to cause a spike in the unemployment rate (which tells you the percent of work-ready people who are looking for a job). At last reading in February, unemployment was at a 50-year low of 3.5 percent. Economists warn that it could reach 5.5 percent in the near term. Even that would be far lower than the jobless rates recorded during previous economic crises such as the Great Depression or the Great Recession. Have a look.

The Graphic Truth: Coronavirus' global economic toll

Over the past few decades, China has become a crucial part of the global economy, driving demand for commodities and churning out consumer products that the world relies on. It is the world's leading exporter, and it accounts for a fifth of global GDP. As a result, the coronavirus that has brought parts of China to a near standstill is affecting other economies as well, as supply chains are diverted, travel links are cut, and Chinese consumption plummets. Here's a look at how the fallout of the coronavirus is projected to hit the Q1 GDP growth of select countries.

The Graphic Truth: Who has troops in Afghanistan?

President Trump's pledge to eventually withdraw thousands of US troops from Afghanistan has cast the spotlight back on America's longest running war. It's also sparked a discussion amongst the nations that contribute to the NATO-led mission deployed there, who are now also rethinking their commitment to the now 18-year old war. Here's a look at how many troops remain in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission, and where they're from.

The Graphic Truth: Banned in the USA

The Trump administration has added six countries to its contentious list of states whose citizens are banned from obtaining certain types of visas to enter the United States. The list now includes Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and largest economy, along with Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania. The travel ban already affected 135 million people worldwide, but in its new expanded form it has an outsized effect on Africa: fully a quarter of the continent's people (about 300 million people) are affected by the measures. The US says the travel ban is justified for security reasons. Here's a look at the restrictions, which vary from country to country.

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