外媒每日新闻 Hiroshima Memorial & Mideast Brinkmanship Edition

Hiroshima on Thursday marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, with Mayor Kazumi Matsui criticizing major powers for waging wars and urging them to stop justifying the possession of nuclear weapons as a method of deterrence. "Downplaying the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and accepting the use of force to pursue one's own prosperity risk cycles of violent retaliation that could ultimately result in another Hiroshima or Nagasaki," Matsui said in his peace declaration. About 50,000 people, including representatives from some 120 countries and regions including the United States and Iran, attended the ceremony at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. A minute of silence was held at 8:15 a.m., the time a U.S. B-29 dropped the bomb. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, attending for the first time as premier, said she would take "a realistic approach" toward a nuclear-free world, but fell short of expressing commitment to Japan's postwar three non-nuclear principles. Survivors worry that Takaichi's hawkish government may ease the principles when it compiles new security documents later this year. The number of survivors has fallen to 91,105, with their average age exceeding 86.^[1]

Saudi Arabia is bracing for "multiple coordinated attacks" by Iraqi militia factions and Iran-backed Houthis, a Saudi official told CNN, as the broader Middle East conflict threatens to widen. The official cited "multiple intelligence reports" from Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and regional countries indicating some Iraqi militia members, "in coordination with the Houthis," are planning to attack the Gulf nation "in the very near future" under the guidance of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The potential targets were "mostly civilian and economic installations," including energy facilities, ports and airports. The reports came as Saudi Arabia was pursuing de-escalation and negotiations involving Iran appeared to be heading in the right direction. The Saudi-led coalition said 11 civilians were injured Thursday in a Houthi attack in southern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border — including a woman and a 4-year-old child who suffered second-degree burns. On Friday, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan will hold a summit in Mecca, where a joint defense agreement is expected to be announced.^[2]

A GOP-led Senate committee voted Thursday to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during his testimony last week. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Republican Senator Rand Paul, voted along party lines. Paul plans to send the contempt referral directly to the Department of Justice, bypassing a full Senate vote — an unprecedented path that Democrats warned could set a dangerous new precedent. Republicans argue that Fauci, who received a preemptive pardon from former President Joe Biden in January 2025, cannot invoke the Fifth because a pardoned person cannot face prosecution. However, legal analysts note that Fauci could still face state-level prosecution and exposure for matters after the pardon date. Senator Josh Hawley criticized Fauci for pleading the Fifth even on questions about "the color of his tie." The U.S. attorney for Washington D.C., Jeanine Pirro, would handle any potential prosecution, but legal experts say the bar for proving contempt beyond a reasonable doubt is very high.^[3]

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 263.24 points, or 0.49%, to a fifth consecutive record close on Wednesday, but the S&P 500 slipped 0.17% to snap a four-day winning streak and the Nasdaq dropped 0.83% to 26,363. The day's casualty was SpaceX, which closed at $108.27, down 13.61% on earnings that beat on revenue but spooked investors with rising capital spending and widening losses, on volume 72% above its three-month average. Meanwhile, Bitcoin sat out the record parade, trading flat at $64,579.64, but the ETF bid quietly returned: spot Bitcoin ETFs posted back-to-back nine-figure inflow days of +$170.1 million and +$211.5 million — the first consecutive nine-figure days since July. BlackRock's IBIT took $170.3 million of Tuesday's total. The Strategy company disclosed the sale of 1,638 BTC for roughly $104.7 million at an average of $63,957 against a $75,419 cost basis — a loss-making sale. Fed rate hike odds for September rebounded to 61.9% after collapsing to 55.9% earlier in the week.^[4]

The United States, Iran and Oman are "close" to an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report from Al Jazeera on August 5. The deal would restore the June 17 ceasefire, reopen the waterway that carried a fifth of the world's seaborne oil in peacetime, and create space for broader talks. The unresolved core is scope: Washington wants Iran's missile program and regional proxies on the table, while National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani says Tehran will negotiate only the nuclear file. A signed Hormuz deal would act as a supply headline, lower oil prices, and drain another leg from the inflation-expectations channel that has been pricing in a Federal Reserve rate hike. The de-escalation that broke the oil premium last week is edging toward paper. Trump said the U.S. has "massive amounts" of munitions, while his vice president admitted talks with Iran will be "messy."^[5]

Italy placed all 27 cities under its national heat surveillance system on red alert Thursday — the first time the entire network has been at the highest warning level simultaneously this year — as a blistering heat wave gripped Europe. Slovakia recorded an all-time high of 42.2°C (108°F) at Dolne Plachtince, while Austria set a national record of 41.2°C (106.2°F) in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. In Hungary, prolonged drought and record-low Danube water levels severely affected the country's only nuclear power plant, forcing operators to reduce output to about 10% of normal production; the government canceled parliamentary sessions and barred freight trains during peak hours. In Germany, a World War II bomb was recovered from the Rhine river near Cologne after low water levels exposed the unexploded ordnance. France maintained high wildfire alert in the Var region, where a blaze has burned over 60 square kilometers since July 20. Romania issued an extreme heat code red for most of the country. Scientists warn such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms.^[6]

A social media influencer was shot and killed during a livestream in Mexico's volatile northwestern state of Sinaloa, authorities said Wednesday. César Gastélum, a 25-year-old Mexican influencer with 600,000 followers on TikTok, was shot in the head on Tuesday night outside a KFC restaurant in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state, while livestreaming with two friends. The incident occurred just 500 meters from a prosecutor's office. Mexican authorities implied the killing was linked to cartel violence but did not blame any particular group. The killing, captured on video, drew renewed attention to the dangers faced by online personalities in Mexico, particularly in regions heavily affected by cartel violence. Sinaloa has been a battleground for warring drug factions. CNN reported on the story on August 6 as part of its broader coverage of violence targeting social media figures across Latin America.^[7]

Garbage is piling up in the streets of Havana as Cuba's waste collection system collapses under the weight of a seven-month U.S. fuel embargo and rolling power cuts. Havana produces between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste daily, yet only 44 out of 106 garbage trucks are operational due to diesel shortages, leaving up to 23,814 cubic meters uncollected each day. Rake-thin men pick through mountains of trash for food, plastic or anything they might sell. At night, the narrow cobbled streets of Old Havana are enveloped in inky black, devoid of power and virtually deserted. Airlines have been told there is no more kerosene for their planes. Diplomats and UN officials on the island fear the outbreak of epidemics and the spread of hunger. After dark, residents joke that they are "sick of seeing the stars" — a bitter reference to the power outages that have become a nightly ritual. The crisis underscores the vulnerability of Cuba's centralized economy to external pressure.^[8]

The U.S. Army announced it is opening up test ranges to private companies developing missiles, drones and other weapons in hopes of buying them more quickly for use on the battlefield. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, speaking at a military testing range in Michigan, pledged to grant companies access to ranges in the U.S. or those belonging to allies abroad within 30 days of a request through an online marketplace that went live Friday. "It can take 12 to 18 months for a company that wants to go test the thing that can make a soldier's life better," Driscoll said. "That is not sufficient." The announcement comes as the Pentagon grapples with the costs of the Iran war, which has diminished the nation's stockpiles of advanced weapons. The first company to take advantage tested Covenant Industries' Anthem cruise missile at the Army's range in Morocco on August 6. A CSIS analysis found the Iran conflict has used up more of the U.S. military's already diminished stockpiles of Patriot and THAAD interceptors. Trump claimed certain munitions are in "virtually unlimited supply" while others are "a little bit tighter."^[9]

FIFA gave its full backing to President Gianni Infantino and apologized for mistakes made in the handling of its withdrawn "FIFA Forward Enterprise" project, following a meeting in Rabat, Morocco attended by Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and members of the FIFA Council. The project, which attempted to sell stakes in FIFA World Cup competitions to private investors, was retracted after fierce backlash from continental confederations. In a letter sent to FIFA's 211 member associations, Infantino admitted the project was a "mistake." However, UEFA did not withdraw its boycott threat after the apology. The European confederation continues to demand clear and binding guarantees that a similar model of private ownership connected to FIFA competitions will not reappear. Three of the world's largest continental football confederations have issued a joint open letter attacking Infantino's leadership. The crisis highlights growing tension between FIFA's commercial ambitions and the governance principles of European football, with potential implications for the 2026 and 2030 World Cup cycles.^[10]

The hashtags #Hiroshima and #NeverAgain trended worldwide Thursday as Hiroshima marked the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing. The ceremony — attended by 50,000 people and representatives from 120 countries including the United States and Iran — sparked sharp debate on X/Twitter about the future of nuclear deterrence. Posts focused on Prime Minister Takaichi's refusal to commit to Japan's three non-nuclear principles, with many users noting the irony of a nation that suffered atomic attack considering loosening its anti-nuclear stance. A viral thread from a Japanese journalist read: "The mayor said 'downplaying inhumanity risks another Hiroshima.' The prime minister is literally doing that by reviewing the three principles." UN Secretary-General Guterres's call for "dialogue over division" was widely shared. Others pointed to the Iran war as proof that nuclear deterrence has failed to prevent conventional conflict. Images of the peace bell ceremony and the cenotaph went viral alongside testimonials from aging hibakusha (survivors), whose numbers have fallen to 91,105 with an average age exceeding 86.

The hashtag #Fauci trended in the United States on Thursday after the Senate Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Rand Paul, voted along party lines to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress for invoking the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times. The most viral moment came from Senator Josh Hawley's critique that Fauci pleaded the Fifth even when asked about "the color of his tie" or "the color of the carpets," which spawned a wave of memes and satirical posts. One widely shared post read: "Fauci pleading the Fifth about his tie color is the most on-brand thing to happen in 2026 politics." Others defended Fauci, noting that any competent defense lawyer would advise taking the Fifth across the board. The legal debate over whether Biden's preemptive pardon nullifies Fauci's Fifth Amendment rights became a trending topic among legal commentators. CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig's explanation — that the bar for proving contempt "beyond a reasonable doubt" is very high — was shared thousands of times. The case now goes to the DOJ, where U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro would decide on prosecution.

The hashtags #SaudiArabia and #Hormuz trended worldwide Thursday as two contradictory Middle East storylines unfolded simultaneously: Saudi Arabia bracing for "multiple coordinated attacks" by Iraqi militias and Iran-backed Houthis, even as the U.S., Iran and Oman were reportedly "close" to an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Users on X highlighted the paradox: de-escalation negotiations advancing while new attacks are being planned under IRGC guidance. A widely shared post from a regional analyst read: "The Hormuz deal is close, and so are coordinated attacks on Saudi ports. These two facts are not contradictory — they may be causally linked. Hardliners in Tehran may be escalating precisely to derail the deal." The planned Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan summit in Mecca on Friday generated significant buzz, with users speculating about a new regional security architecture. Images of the 11 civilians injured in the Houthi attack, including a 4-year-old child with second-degree burns, drew emotional responses. The hashtag #WorldWar3 briefly trended before being overtaken by more measured analysis from Middle East experts.