Special edition: Could the Beirut blast be one tragedy too many for Lebanon?
23 August 2020 |
6:35 am
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.
Related
Related
5 Dec 2020
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.
22 Dec 2020
Lebanese launch lanterns in Beirut's Gemmayzeh neighbourhood during the lighting of a Christmas tree, in memory of the victims of the devastating August explosion at the Port of Beirut. Firefighters stand in front of the Christmas tree created by Lebanese artist Hayat Nazer and decorated with uniforms of firefighters and rescue workers as a way to pay tribute to those who died in the blast.
1 Apr 2021
Lebanon has long been a financial capital in the region. But neighboring nations say billions are stuck in the country's failing financial system.
3 Aug 2021
Top Lebanese officials had been warned about the dangers of chemicals stored in the port yet failed to act to prevent the tragedy, according to a report from Human Rights Watch.
8 Aug 2021
After their small daughter was killed in Beirut's devastating port explosion, one Lebanese couple are fighting for an explanation — and to get their country back.
4 Aug 2021
The August 4 blast that thundered through Beirut levelled entire neighbourhoods, killed more than 200 people, wounded 6,500 others and pummelled the lives of survivors. A year later, AFP caught up with some survivors who spoke about the lasting trauma left behind by the explosion.
21 Aug 2021
Lebanese march towards Beirut port to mark a year since a cataclysmic explosion ravaged the city, protesting impunity over the country's worst peacetime disaster at a time when its economy was already in tatters.
30 Oct 2021
The Lebanese ambassador has been asked to leave Saudi territory within 48 hours. The move comes after Lebanon's information minister criticized the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
23 Apr 2022
Jorge Moreira has been charged with terrorism and murder in Lebanon over his role in bringing ammonium nitrate explosives into the country. The August 2020 blast killed over 200 people and devastated entire suburbs.
14 May 2022
On May 15, parliamentary elections will take place nationwide in Lebanon. The Lebanese diaspora, estimated to be double the size of the domestic population, already cast their ballots last week. Around 60 percent of people across 58 countries turned out, slightly more than in 2018. We bring you a special edition of Middle East Matters on Lebanon's first elections since the mass protests of 2019.
1 Aug 2022
A section of Beirut's massive grain silos that withstood the 2020 explosion have collapsed following a weekslong fire. Its unclear if there have been any injuries.
13 Aug 2022
Two years after the massive port blast in Beirut that killed more than 200 people, the recent collapse of a landmark grain silo has revived traumatic memories and further dimmed hopes for accountability.
Latest
20 mins ago
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has called on African countries to take urgent action to end poverty and mismanagement of natural resources if they want to earn the respect of the global community. Adesina made the remarks while delivering his speech titled “For the world to respect Africa” at the 40th anniversary of the Guardian newspaper in Lagos.
28 mins ago
The death toll from floods in northern Tanzania following torrential rains this weekend has risen to 63, the prime minister said on Monday, adding to hundreds of other deaths caused by extreme weather in East Africa since seasonal rains began in October.
1 day ago
At COP28 in Dubai, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for a phase out of fossil fuels, the US announced $3 billion in new climate funding and France pushed for nuclear energy as a way to reduce emissions.
1 day ago
South Korea has been ramping up its surveillance capabilities in order to gain a strategic edge over North Korea. The move comes after North Korea launched a satellite of its own in violation of UN resolutions.
1 day ago
Early drafts of the COP28 agreement refer to the "phasedown/out" of fossil fuels, which are responsible for most climate emissions. The final wording will likely be disputed. What's the difference — and does it matter?
1 day ago
Britain and Rwanda have inked a new treaty aimed at rescuing failed plans for the UK to deport asylum-seekers. A top court ruling had blocked the policy, saying it violated human rights laws enshrined in UK legislation.
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.