23 of its 62 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Hunger was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
19 Oct to 25 Oct: 42 in every 100 of its stories were about people being harmed — about twice the world's share (19).
What stood out
The news pointed at Afghanistan on 1 of the 7 days held.
Most on Wednesday 21 October 2026: Hunger was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Compared with
the world's news over the same days; "usual" is its own 30 days before.
How it moved
How harsh or warm the words were in Afghanistan's stories about people being harmed
Higher is warmer, lower is harsher. Dashed line: the world.
AfghanistanThe world
Key events
the events its news covered most, newest on the rightScroll sideways for earlier events. Key events are the most covered, not necessarily the most harmful: attacks, accidents and disasters, displacement, protests and outbreaks, ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported them and how clearly they were about one thing, so every year competes fairly.
Its biggest days
when the news pointed at Afghanistan mostIn detail
against the world's news, same daysPeople and attention
a tenththe world's rateten times
About 42 million people live in Afghanistan. Over these days its news carried 3.7 stories about people being harmed for every million people — about half the world's rate (8.5 per million).
How much of the world's attention reached it for its size: coverage per person, not harm per person. Population is approximate (about 2023).
Parts of life
Share of its stories about people being harmed, by part of life.
Conflict & violence32%50 stories
Rights & justice21%33 stories
Health16%24 stories
Food & livelihood9%14 stories
Disasters & accidents8%12 stories
Deaths & injuries, cause not given6%10 stories
Displacement5%8 stories
Shelter & services2%3 stories
Harm reported
Stories, not people: a story counts once however many people it reports.
Stories reporting people killed41 Stories reporting arrests21 Stories reporting people injured18 Stories reporting people affected11 Stories reporting refugees2 Stories reporting abductions2 Stories reporting evacuations1Harsh or warm words
harshwarm
Its stories' words were much harsher than the world's.
Filled dot: Afghanistan. Ring: the world. Measured over 149 stories.
Feelings
Angerabout as angry as the world's
Against its own usual: about two-thirds of usual
Griefabout as grief-stricken as the world's
Against its own usual: about two-thirds of usual
Fearabout twice as fearful as the world's
Against its own usual: a little more than usual
Warmthabout as warm as the world's
Against its own usual: about as usual
a quarterlike the worldfour times
Dot: Afghanistan in these days. Line: the world. Dashed ring: Afghanistan's own usual (the 30 days before).
Its neighbours, same days
Afghanistan42 in 100
of its 366 stories were about people being harmed · mostly conflict & violence
Pakistan32 in 100
of its 2,640 stories were about people being harmed · mostly conflict & violence
Iran31 in 100
of its 2,919 stories were about people being harmed · mostly conflict & violence
Tajikistan29 in 100
of its 112 stories were about people being harmed · mostly conflict & violence
Kashmir25 in 100
of its 740 stories were about people being harmed · mostly rights & justice
China14 in 100
of its 7,616 stories were about people being harmed · mostly disasters & accidents
Uzbekistan12 in 100
of its 217 stories were about people being harmed · mostly health
Turkmenistan5 in 100
of its 129 stories were about people being harmed · mostly rights & justice
Countries that share a border on the map (the nearest ones for an island). A country with few stories ranks lower.
Where it happened
Attacks & violenceAccidents & disastersProtests & strikes
Afghanistan (bright) and its neighbours. Dots: its key events in these days; fainter, smaller dots: its neighbours' biggest. Click a dot for its stories.
Diseases and disasters named far more than usual
hunger21 Oct11 of its stories that day, more than ten times its usualCounted where the stories mention most, so a storm abroad can land under a country only mentioned. Opens that day.