Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 09 Aug 2020, 09:49 am Print
Manal Abdel Samad Twitter page
Moscow/Sputnik: Lebanese Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad on Sunday announced her resigning from office in the wake of a massive explosion in Beirut and subsequent civil unrest.
On Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets of Beirut, demanding the government to resign. Protesters have stormed four ministries and the banks association.
"I apologize to the Lebanese whose expectations we have failed to meet, changes have not been made ... And, after the horrible catastrophe in Beirut, I am resigning from the government," Abdel Samad said, according to the Al-Jadeed TV channel.
Late on Tuesday, a powerful explosion took place at the port of Beirut, killing at least 158 people and injuring over 6,000, per the latest estimates.
According to the authorities, the explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, confiscated by the customs services in 2014 and stored in the port since then.
The explosion has also caused considerable damage to the city, having destroyed or damaged dozens of houses.
- ‘No judgment’: Trump slams Netanyahu over Beirut strike amid Iran deal push
- Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina aide and ex-Police chief Benazir Ahmed arrested in Dubai after months on run
- Tulsi Gabbard releases declassified intelligence claiming US funded more than 120 biolabs across 30 countries
- Big tech shock: Anthropic suspends latest AI tools amid US security concerns
- Trump declares Iran war over — but Tehran refuses to confirm any deal
