Global Risk Briefing, September 28, 2026: coverage of DR Congo Conflict is surging

Analytical Briefing: Media Coverage Trends (September 28, 2026)

This briefing provides an analytical overview of global media coverage trends as of September 28, 2026, based on data tracking 42 topics and 197 countries. Data was available for 40 topics.

Surging Topics

Five topics demonstrated a significant surge in media attention. The topic with the highest Z-score was DR Congo Conflict at 5.8, with a volume of 0.01. This was followed by Myanmar Civil War at a Z-score of 3.2 and a volume of 0.003. Syria Transition registered a Z-score of 2.9 and a volume of 0.002. Refugees & Displacement had a Z-score of 2.5 and the highest volume among surging topics at 0.017. Finally, South China Sea showed a Z-score of 2.2 with a volume of 0.004.

Movers: Week-over-Week Changes

Several topics experienced substantial week-over-week increases in coverage. Ethiopia Conflict saw the largest rise, increasing by 2128.3%. Iran War & Succession rose by 660.3%, and Kashmir increased by 649.6%. DR Congo Conflict also rose significantly by 345.3%, and Terrorism increased by 344.6%. All listed movers demonstrated an upward trend in coverage.

Most Covered Topics

The topic with the highest overall media volume was Iran War & Succession, accounting for 0.148 of total coverage. Terrorism was the second most covered topic with a volume of 0.075. Israel–Gaza and Trade War & Tariffs both registered a volume of 0.05. NATO was also among the most covered, with a volume of 0.033.

Countries with Darkest Tones

Analysis of media tone for countries identified five with the most negative average tone. Malawi had the darkest tone at -7.45. Nauru followed with a tone of -5.36. Eritrea registered a tone of -4.38. Guinea-Bissau had a tone of -3.79, and Yemen showed a tone of -3.52.