Lanterns launch in Beirut in memory of port blast victims

Lebanese police empty martyrs' square with tear gas as angry protesters try to break into the parliament headquarters.

Lebanese PM Hassan Diab has announced he is stepping down in wake of last week’s deadly Beirut explosion. A number of ministers had already stepped down after mass protests against the government erupted in the country.

Two weeks after massive dual explosions at the port in Beirut killed more than 170 people and destroyed a large part of the Lebanese capital, we bring you this special edition of Middle East Matters direct from Lebanon. In the devastating aftermath, the Lebanese capital is in mourning – everyone here knows someone who was affected by the blast. Our correspondents and reporters on the ground take a look at how the tragedy unfolded and consider what the future might hold for this shattered country.

Foreign domestic workers in Lebanon say they’ve been feeling left out since a huge blast at Beirut port ripped through large parts of the city, killing 181 people and leaving thousands homeless.

Lebanese artist Sara Abou Mrad uses glass debris from the Beirut port explosion to make man-in-motion-shaped sculptures.

After the deadly explosion that hit the port of Beirut on August 4 and destroyed part of the city, amid a backdrop of government negligence, corruption and popular revolt, Lebanon is on its knees and seems trapped in a downward spiral. From the rubble of the central neighbourhoods of the Lebanese capital to the Shiite south along the Israeli border, our reporters Cyril Payen and Bilal Tarabey followed the daily life of a group of young friends. They tell us about their fears, hopes and dreams with the sincerity of those who have nothing left to lose.

Friday, September 4, marks one month since a huge blast in Beirut's port ripped through the city, killing more than 190 people, wounding at least 6,500 and leaving nearly 300,000 homeless.

A team of rescue workers in search for Beirut blast survivors has found no sign of life beneath the building that collapsed in last month's explosion. Rescuers would now focus on clearing the rubble and finding remains.

A tiny owl was saved after getting stuck in the Rockefeller Center tree: 'It's the Christmas miracle of 2020' ... Then, the caller told her where exactly this tiny owl was hiding out. “She said, 'At the Christmas tree in the Rockefeller Center,' ” Kalish, the founder and director of the center, told The Washington Post.

Lebanese couture is revered around the world for its flamboyance and artistry, with collections destined for clients based in Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and the US. But in recent months, a crippling economic crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and of course August's catastrophic Beirut port explosion have threatened the industry like never before. Some of the biggest names in Beirut fashion, including the likes of Elie Saab and Tony Ward, spoke to FRANCE 24 about their experience of the past few months.

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi attends the lighting of the Christmas tree at The Capitol. This year's tree is a 55-foot Engelmann Spruce from Colorado.

The UN and France have said an emergency aid fund will be set up to help Lebanon cope with reconstruction after the Beirut port blast. However, long-term economic support depends on forming a viable new government.