Six months on from a blast at Beirut port that killed more than 200, the grief is still raw for the families and friends of the dead.
On Thursday, dozens gathered at the port's entrance under dark clouds for a vigil to mark six months since an explosion that continues to haunt the shattered city.
Pictures of the dead glared at the soldiers and officers standing guard outside the still devastated port.
Six months ago, the buildings were destroyed by one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history. Today the site is a focus of anguish.
One woman collapsed as she broke down wailing.
Shortly after that, an ambulance with paramedics clad in full PPE skirted past the crowd – a nagging reminder of the country's concurrent crisis.
Lebanon is theoretically in lockdown due to a devastating surge in Covid-19 cases, though that has done little to smother the calls for justice.
Jospeh Matta's brother Charbel, an officer with the Internal Security Forces, was killed attempting to rescue others. On Thursday, he made an emotional plea to the movement that has – so far – not provided many answers for the events of August 4, 2020.
“We want justice and that’s all, it’s the least we can give our martyrs,” he said.
"My Brother loved Lebanon and the Lebanese people. His colleagues who survived the blast told me that after the first explosion, he ran to help his colleagues, and it was God's will for him to die in an act of braveness."
Despite the families' pleas, justice has not been forthcoming.
A slew of low-ranking port-employees have been arrested and held without charge, but senior officials have refused to appear in court for questioning and the investigation has become politicised.
Efforts have so far focused on 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which was being stored incorrectly in the port.
The fertiliser had been in the port since 2013, and its ignition caused the devastating blast.
Yet, for all the obfuscation, those who knew the victims insist they are not going away.
"We won't forgive, we won't forget. We won't get tired of going after you legally, not until we have justice," said Ibrahim Hoteit, a spokesman for the families of those killed in the blast.
Earlier in the day, France's Ambassador criticised the country's authorities for failing to deliver on the investigation.
“Six months after the explosion, it is unacceptable that the Lebanese people should still be waiting for answers from its leaders,” Anne Grillo said in a statement.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
MATCH INFO
Scotland 59 (Tries: Hastings (2), G Horne (3), Turner, Seymour, Barclay, Kinghorn, McInally; Cons: Hastings 8)
Russia 0
Brief scores:
Arsenal 4
Xhaka 25', Lacazette 55', Ramsey 79', Aubameyang 83'
Fulham 1
Kamara 69'
More coverage from the Future Forum
The specs
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Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
