Riftrate · 17–23 August 2026 and the 3 weeks before
The week in world tension: 17–23 August 2026
In week 34 of 2026 (17–23 August 2026), Riftrate averaged 40.5 (Easing), up 7.0 points from the week before. It peaked at 46.4 on 23 August 2026.
Average40.5Easing
Vs the week before▲ +7.0average to average
High46.423 August 2026
Low33.917 August 2026
The week in brief
The signals that moved most: escalation momentum (▲ +19.6) and media tone (▲ +9.9). Most intense: Yemen (34.7%), Gaza and the West Bank (23.6%), Ukraine (20.2%). Biggest riser: Latvia, up 6.3 points to 16.1% of its news about armed violence. Market risk at the end of the week: energy supply 91 (▼ −4.1), oil shipping routes 92 (▼ −3.7), major economies 87 (▼ −7.2).
Frequently asked questions
How tense was the world in week 34 of 2026?
Riftrate, the index of world tension from 0 (calm) to 100 (crisis), averaged 40.5 (Easing) from 17–23 August 2026, up 7.0 points from the week before.
Which countries were most tense in week 34 of 2026?
Yemen (34.7% of its news about armed violence), Gaza and the West Bank (23.6% of its news about armed violence), Ukraine (20.2% of its news about armed violence).