Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has announced his resignation almost a week after the massive explosion that devastated the capital, Beirut, killing some 200 people and wounding 6,000 others. Lebanese President Michel Aoun has accepted the resignation of the prime minister’s government, following last week’s devastating explosion in Beirut port and asked it to stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new cabinet is formed, a televised announcement said. Diab is reported to have said that “the system of corruption is bigger than the state.”
Protests strengthen
Enraged over a massive blast in Beirut last week, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital on Saturday to call for accountability and the downfall of the country’s ruling class.
A large number of protesters threw stones and other projectiles. They faced tear gas, rubber bullets, and birdshot fired from shotguns.
UN warns Beirut will run out bread in two weeks
The head of the UN food agency said he’s “very, very concerned” Lebanon could run out of bread in about 2 and a half weeks because 85 percent of the country’s grain comes through Beirut’s devastated port – but he believes an area of the port can be made operational this month.
David Beasley, who is in Beirut assessing damage and recovery prospects, told a virtual UN briefing on the humanitarian situation following last week’s explosion in the Lebanese capital that “at the devastated site, we found a footprint that we can operate on a temporary basis.”
International pressure for stability in governance
France has called for the “rapid formation” of a new government in Lebanon shortly after premier Hassan Diab stepped down over the deadly Beirut port blast.
“The aspirations expressed by the Lebanese in terms of reforms and governance must be heard,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement.
“The priority must be the rapid formation of a government that can live up to the expectations of the people, whose mission will be to meet the main challenges of the country, especially the reconstruction of Beirut and reforms without which the country will plunge into economic, social and political chaos,” he said.
