Aug 06 2020 14 mins 34
A terrible tragedy and a terrible year for Lebanon. The Duran Quick Take: Episode 622. Via the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-53673957 )... People in Beirut have expressed anger at the government over what they say was negligence that led to Tuesday's huge explosion. President Michel Aoun said the blast was caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse. Many have accused the authorities of corruption, neglect and mismanagement. The blast killed at least 137 people and injured about 5,000 others, while dozens are still missing. A two-week state of emergency has begun. French architect Jean-Marc Bonfils, involved in rebuilding the city after the civil war, and firefighter Sahar Fares, one of the first responders at the scene, were among the first fatalities to be named. A German diplomat was also among the dead. "Beirut is crying, Beirut is screaming, people are hysterical and people are tired," filmmaker Jude Chehab told the BBC, calling for the people responsible to face justice.
