Eurotopics.net

Many countries have recently seen their cinemas reopen after the lockdown. But especially for small operators, the business is hardly worthwhile because the distancing rules mean lower ticket sales. In addition audiences are staying away out of fear of infection, or because they have simply gotten used to the convenience of streaming services. Commentators say the industry itself is partly to blame for its plight.

After Tuesday's explosion in Beirut, the city authorities are under attack. Investigations into the causes are focusing on thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate that were stored at the port, which is under the management of a notoriously corrupt administration. The disaster has elicited a wave of international solidarity; experts have travelled to Lebanon to offer their help and large aid consignments have been deployed. What are the prospects for reconstruction?

Seventy-five years ago today, on 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb codenamed "Little Boy" was dropped by US forces on Hiroshima. More than 140,000 people lost their lives and people are still suffering today from the long-term effects of nuclear radiation. On this day of remembrance, commentators take a worried look at the relations between today's nuclear powers.

Croatia on Wednesday commemorated the 1995 Operation Storm in which Croatian troops won a decisive victory against Serbian rebels who had taken control of a large area in the country. The operation is controversial because of crimes committed against Serbian civilians and their subsequent mass exodus. This year for the first time a representative of the Serbian minority took part in the commemorative ceremony. For commentators this is just a first step towards reconciliation.

The eagerly awaited verdict in the trial on the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée was surprisingly postponed on Tuesday. The gunman was sentenced to 23 years in prison in April, but the court's verdict on those who commissioned and organised the crime has now been delayed until early September with the explanation that the judges need more time to reach a decision. Is this a worrying development?