Lebanon

09 Aug 2020; MEMO: Some Lebanese called on Sunday for a sustained uprising to topple their leaders amid public fury over this week’s devastating explosion in Beirut, and the country’s top Christian Maronite cleric said the cabinet should resign, Reuters reports.

BEIRUT, August 9. /TASS/: It took several hours for riot control special formations to push protesters out of the center of the Lebanese capital. By the midnight law enforcement officers had completely forced aggressively disposed activists out of Beirut’s business part, regaining full control of the capital’s Martyrs’ Square, TASS reports from the spot.

According to the civil defense, 490 people were injured in clashes, including around 70 police officers. Five protesters were detained.

BEIRUT, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad resigned on Sunday following the huge explosions that rocked Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday, killing at least 158 people and injuring 6,000, al-Jadeed local TV channel reported.

"I apologize to the Lebanese because we could not meet their demands. Since change in Lebanon remains elusive and the reality does not match our ambitions, and after the horrible explosions that hit the city, I resign from the government," Abdel Samad said.

BEIRUT, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Lebanese police officer was killed and 142 people were injured on Saturday in clashes during protests against the ruling class in downtown Beirut, days after massive explosions rocked the Lebanese capital that killed at least 158 and injured 6,000 others, LBCI TV channel reported.

Demanding an overhaul of the Lebanese political system, the protesters were trying to break into the parliament, prompting security forces to use tear gas to disperse them.

08 Aug 2020; MEMO: French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Lebanon on Thursday sparked controversy over the nature of the visit among social media users.

While some believed that this visit carried a message of support for Lebanon after the massive explosion that took place in the Port of Beirut, others believe that it was “not innocent”.

BEIRUT, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — UN agencies have warned of a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon after Tuesday’s devastating blast in Beirut.

Lebanon was already suffering a major economic downturn before the explosion, which left at least 154 people dead, 5,000 injured and 300,000 homeless.

The World Food Programme said the damage to Beirut’s port would interrupt food supplies and push prices up.

The World Health Organization said the health system was seriously damaged, with three hospitals out of action.

08 Aug 2020; MEMO:Nearly 60,000 people have signed a petition calling for their country to be placed under a French mandate for the next 10 years. The move follows the massive explosion that rocked the capital Beirut on Tuesday.

The petition calls for the imposition of a French mandate because of the current political and economic crisis, for which the ruling elite is being blamed.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Arab League Chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Saturday he would seek to mobilise Arab efforts to provide support to Lebanon after this week’s catastrophic explosion in Beirut destroyed parts of the capital.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, he also said the Cairo-based league of Arab states was ready to assist the investigation into the blast.

BEIRUT (AP) — At least 10 times over the past six years, authorities from Lebanon’s customs, military, security agencies and judiciary raised alarm that a massive stockpile of explosive chemicals was being kept with almost no safeguard at the port in the heart of Beirut, newly surfaced documents show.

Yet in a circle of negligence, nothing was done — and on Tuesday, the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate blew up, obliterating the city’s main commercial hub and spreading death and wreckage for miles around.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The death toll from the Beirut port explosion has risen to 154, state news agency NNA cited Lebanon’s health minister as saying on Friday.

Minister Hamad Hasan said one in five of the some 5,000 people injured in Tuesday’s blast had required hospitalisation, and 120 were in critical condition, NNA reported.