Zero's Briefs

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — New wave of drones over the Moscow region — Moscow Mayor Sergej Sobjanin stated that from the evening of August 15 to 6:30 on the 16th, approximately 600 unmanned aircraft were directed towards the capital’s region, and that 201 were destroyed in the oblast. Governor Andrej Vorobëv reported 187 aircraft shot down or neutralized by air defense and electronic warfare, with attacks recorded among others in Domodedovo, Podolsk, Stupino, Odincovo and Kolomna. Russian outlets report three people injured after explosions on the MKAD ring road and a fire at a warehouse in Podolsk; according to the same sources, from August 8 to 15, 1,743 drones had been directed towards Moscow and the oblast. All figures come from Russian authorities’ communications and are reported as such. (Komsomolskaja Pravda, TopNews, 161.ru)

Europe — Madrid requests extraordinary meeting of Interior ministers — Following arrivals in Ceuta from Morocco, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sent a letter to European Union leadership and requested an urgent extraordinary videoconference of Interior ministers. Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska claimed credit for the handling of the situation and thanked Moroccan cooperation; the government has begun installing a containment barrier on the Ceuta spit and allocated an additional 25 million for the reception of minors. According to the toll reported on August 1, 67 people have died attempting to reach the enclave. The news currently comes from a single source (elDiario.es, based on a letter from La Moncloa and statements from the Spanish Interior Ministry); no independent confirmation available.

News — Belgium, over 2,000 hectares burned in the High Fens — The fire that broke out on Friday at 2:00 PM in the Fagne des Deux-Séries area, municipality of Baelen, has burned more than 2,000 hectares according to a spokesperson for regional authorities. Approximately 600 people have been evacuated from Sourbrodt and Bütgenbach; across the border, the German administration of Monschau has urged residents to prepare for a possible evacuation. The Netherlands has sent firefighting helicopters as part of the European mechanism. The fire is also burning underground due to drought conditions: the peat bog grows on average one millimeter per year. (Welingelichte Kringen, VRT NWS, Weeronline)

Economy and Markets — The Rhine at 130 centimeters, gas above 61 euros — The Rhine’s water level on the German side has fallen to a historic low of 130 centimeters, with consequences for commercial navigation. At the same time, European natural gas surpassed 61 euros per megawatt-hour, its highest level since the last week of July; on August 14 the quote on the Amsterdam platform stood at around 60.6 euros. Rising energy costs are among the pressure factors on the European economy noted today. (FIRSTonline, Il Sole 24 Ore)

Health — West Nile, 81 domestically acquired cases in six European countries — ECDC’s seasonal surveillance indicates ongoing transmission of West Nile virus in Europe: as of July 22, 2026, there were 81 locally acquired human cases in six countries and 35 affected areas, including Italy. Data are updated weekly in the European agency’s Communicable Disease Threats Report. (ECDC, Global Health Press)

Sports — Flag football, Italy reaches world final and qualifies for Los Angeles 2028 — Italy’s national flag football team has reached the final of the World Championships and with that result secured qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, the edition in which the sport will make its Olympic debut. The news currently comes from a single source (Italpress agency, relayed by the August 16 press review); no independent confirmation available. (Pavia Uno TV)

Cinema & Entertainment — HBO Max tests having artificial intelligence choose films — The platform is experimenting with AI-based content selection features, along with rapid-scroll browsing formats for its catalog. The news currently comes from a single source (Libero Magazine, relayed by the August 16 press review); no independent confirmation available. (Musicletter)