Zero's Briefs

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — Israel announces intensified raids after kite launches from Gaza — On August 23, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas that the military would intensify attacks against those responsible for launching kites from the Strip toward Israeli border communities and would proceed with the evacuation of areas of the Strip. On August 22, Israeli soldiers had inspected a kite launched from Gaza in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. The Times of Israel

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — A Syrian delegation met with Israeli officials in Jordan — According to SANA (Syrian state news agency), a delegation led by the foreign minister and including intelligence chiefs met senior Israeli officials in Jordan on Sunday. Also according to SANA, the talks were mediated by the United States, hosted by Jordan, and also touched on tensions between Israel and Turkey. The information remains a statement attributed to a state source, without independent confirmation. Haaretz

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — A judge suspends the visa freeze for 75 countries — On August 23, a US judge blocked the American visa freeze imposed by the Trump administration on citizens of 75 countries. The news currently comes from a single source (AFP agency, picked up by the French press review); no independent confirmation is available, nor are the court, the territorial scope of the decision, or the terms of a possible appeal known. Orange Actu

News in Brief — Two hundred and twenty wildfires in Emilia-Romagna since early July — The Regional Agency for Territorial Safety and Civil Protection has extended the pre-alarm phase, orange code, to the entire regional territory from August 14 to 23, with an absolute ban on lighting fires and burning plant residues in forest areas. Every day nine dedicated firefighter teams, two rural outposts in the National Parks and 18 forestry police patrols are deployed; since July 1 the Permanent Unified Operations Room has been active in Bologna. The news comes from a single source (statement by the Regional Agency). Protezione civile Emilia-Romagna

Economy and Markets — US tariffs of 50% on twenty billion in Canadian goods — The United States has imposed 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion of Canadian goods. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa will respond next month with equivalent measures, “dollar for dollar” (transl. from English). The news currently comes from a single source (NPR newsroom, on the Canadian prime minister’s statements); no independent confirmation is available and no list of affected products. NPR

Economy and Markets — Wall Street closes the week’s last session higher — On Friday, August 21, the S&P 500 ended at 7,674.37 points (+0.43%), the Nasdaq Composite at 26,180.45 (+0.43%) and the Dow Jones at 53,277.01 (+0.98%). The closings precede a week featuring the Jackson Hole symposium, Nvidia’s quarterly earnings, and the inflation index tracked by the Federal Reserve. CNBC

Sports — Brennan wins in Manosque, Pogacar keeps the red jersey — The second stage of the Vuelta a España, from Monaco to Manosque, was decided in a sprint finish on Sunday, August 23: first place went to Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) ahead of Pau Miquel and Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian, who had won Saturday’s opening 9 km time trial in Monaco, retains the lead with nine seconds over Wout van Aert and ten over Brennan. Today’s third stage covers 166 km from Gruissan to Font-Romeu. esCiclismo

Health — WHO convenes second Emergency Committee on the DRC outbreak — On August 18, the Director-General of the World Health Organization opened the second meeting of the Emergency Committee on Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reporting nearly 5,000 infections and over 2,300 deaths across six provinces and 55 health zones. The WHO’s Disease Outbreak News recorded, as of August 12, 4,665 confirmed cases and 2,184 deaths, with a crude case fatality rate of 46.8%. Since the declaration of the international emergency on May 17, 12 attacks against health facilities and workers have been recorded. No vaccines or approved specific treatments exist for this species. WHO

Cinema & Entertainment — Venice 83 opens on September 1 with a Tinto Brass restoration — The pre-opening of the 83rd Mostra is entrusted to the restoration of “Col cuore in gola” in the Venice Classics section, one day before the official opening with Danny Boyle’s “Ink” in the Sala Grande. The festival closes on September 12, after the awards ceremony, with Giovanni Veronesi’s “Dio ride.” La Biennale di Venezia

Number of the Day — One tonne of iron slag in eastern Senegal — This is the amount of metallurgical waste recovered at the Didé West site, along with the remains of 25 furnaces and 30 air nozzles: one of the oldest and best-preserved complexes in West Africa, according to the magazine reporting it, the only available source. Archaeology Magazine

On This Day — Ten years since the earthquake that struck Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata — On August 24, 2016, the seismic sequence in Central Italy began. The decree-law of August 2026 identifies precisely these three municipalities as the first crater of the events and extends the extraordinary reconstruction management to 2029. Primapagina.tv