Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Wednesday said there would be no political protection for anyone implicated in last year’s huge explosion at the Beirut port.
Mr Aoun was responding to protests that erupted on Tuesday over the handling of the investigation.
The blast on August 4 was caused by the ignition of hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive fertiliser ingredient that had been stored for years at the port with the knowledge of top government officials.
The explosion killed more than 200 people, injured hundreds more and devastated nearby Beirut neighbourhoods.
It is still unclear exactly what caused the explosion, and an investigation by a state-appointed judge has been riddled with charges of political interference.
The delays have frustrated the public, particularly after reports that most of Lebanon’s leadership, including Mr Aoun, knew of the explosive chemicals.
The hours-long protests on Tuesday outside the house of caretaker interior minister Mohammed Fahmi were sparked by his rejection of a request by the new lead investigator into the port blast.
The investigator wanted to remove immunity for one of the most senior officials accused in the port case, general security chief Abbas Ibrahim, allowing him to be questioned.
The protesters considered Mr Fahmi’s refusal to be an obstruction of the investigation.
Families of the victims and explosion survivors held a mock funeral while protesters scuffled with members of the security forces guarding the building, who fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Dozens were slightly injured on both sides.
Amnesty International urged Lebanese authorities to lift immunity granted to all officials, saying an impartial investigation was essential for a better future in a country with a history of “entrenched impunity".
“The protesters’ demand is simple: let justice take its course,” said Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty’s deputy regional director. “Any failure to do so is an obstruction of justice.”
Mr Aoun on Wednesday said the investigation was continuing and that “there will be no political cover for anyone who was negligent or guilty".
But he did not address critics who said that Mr Fahmi blocked the investigation.
Mr Aoun’s comments came during a meeting with Patrick Durel, French President Emmanuel Macron’s envoy.
Mr Aoun also approved August 4 as a day of mourning, declaring it a national holiday. Families of the victims have been campaigning for this recognition.
Lebanon is in the middle of the country’s worst economic crisis but the leadership has been unable to form a government to lead negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a recovery package.
The caretaker government resigned after the port explosion.
Prime minister-designate Saad Hariri has been unable to agree with Mr Aoun on a Cabinet line-up and French and local efforts have failed to bridge their differences.
Mr Hariri on Wednesday met Mr Aoun in a renewed attempt to resolve the political deadlock, after a quick trip to Egypt, a close ally.
He proposed a new 24-minister Cabinet and said he expected a response from Mr Aoun by Thursday. There were reports that this was a last-ditch effort before Mr Hariri stepped down.
“We have entered the ninth month trying to form a government,” he said after the meeting. “Now is a time for the truth.”
CREW
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The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000
Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic
Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Naga
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
More on animal trafficking
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Tuesday, July 11
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic (2)
Venus Williams (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (13)
Johanna Konta (6) v Simona Halep (2)
Court 1
Garbine Muguruza (14) v
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
THE%20SPECS
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What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
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Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
