Lebanese soldiers walk past a partially destroyed traditional building which was affected by the Beirut port blast, in the Gemmayzeh neighbourhood, on August 26, 2020 AFP
Lebanese soldiers walk past a partially destroyed traditional building which was affected by the Beirut port blast, in the Gemmayzeh neighbourhood, on August 26, 2020 AFP
Lebanese soldiers walk past a partially destroyed traditional building which was affected by the Beirut port blast, in the Gemmayzeh neighbourhood, on August 26, 2020 AFP
Lebanese soldiers walk past a partially destroyed traditional building which was affected by the Beirut port blast, in the Gemmayzeh neighbourhood, on August 26, 2020 AFP

Three still missing as death toll from Beirut blast rises to 190

Search operations for those still missing from the blast continue

AFP

August 30, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The death toll from the huge Beirut port blast has risen to 190 with more than 6,500 injured and three people missing, Lebanon's caretaker government said in a report dated Sunday.

Lebanese authorities are investigating what caused highly explosive material stored unsafely for years to detonate in a mushroom cloud, wrecking swathes of the city and fuelling anger at a political class already blamed for the country's economic meltdown.

The army said on Saturday that seven people were still missing - three Lebanese, three Syrians and one Egyptian. It was not immediately clear if some had since been found.

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"Search and rescue operations will not stop until the missing are found," said army spokesman Elias Aad.

The army spokesman said the figure was compiled from data submitted by the country's Internal Security Forces, in co-ordination with the Red Cross.

The ISF last week said it had identified the remains of 33 people who had gone missing following the explosion.

The August 4 explosion left 300,000 people homeless and caused $15 billion in direct damage, said the report issued on Sunday by the presidency of the council of ministers.

It said 50,000 houses, nine major hospitals and 178 schools had been damaged.

The departing government quit over the blast.

The presidency will talk to parliamentary blocs on Monday to designate a new prime minister, a day before French President Emmanuel Macron visits to press leaders to act to save the country from a deep financial crisis rooted in endemic corruption and mismanagement.

A woman stands inside a damaged restaurant. AP Photo
A woman stands inside a damaged restaurant. AP Photo
People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA
People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA
Workers are pictured at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA
Workers are pictured at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA
A man sleeps near a damaged car near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. REUTERS
A man sleeps near a damaged car near the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. REUTERS
Workers line at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA
Workers line at the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA
French President Emmanuel Macron visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut. EPA
People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA
People and employees attend a mass over the victims who were killed in the blast, at the Al-Roum hospital at Ashrafieh area in Beirut. EPA
A view of the port of Beirut on January 25, 2020, left, and on August 5, 2020, a day after the explosion. AFP
A view of the port of Beirut on January 25, 2020, left, and on August 5, 2020, a day after the explosion. AFP
Bride Israa Seblani poses for a picture in the same place where she was taking her wedding photos at the moment of the explosion. Reuters
Bride Israa Seblani poses for a picture in the same place where she was taking her wedding photos at the moment of the explosion. Reuters
People stand with their belongings as they leave their damaged homes. Reuters
People stand with their belongings as they leave their damaged homes. Reuters
A Lebanese man shows injuries on his back after the massive explosion in Beirut. EPA
A Lebanese man shows injuries on his back after the massive explosion in Beirut. EPA
Men are seen sitting inside a damaged home, following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters
Men are seen sitting inside a damaged home, following Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area. Reuters
A pedestrian takes photos of a badly damaged building in Beirut. Bloomberg
A pedestrian takes photos of a badly damaged building in Beirut. Bloomberg
Lebanese Druze clerics check damaged cars. AP Photo
Lebanese Druze clerics check damaged cars. AP Photo
A statue representing the Lebanese expatriate is seen in front of a building that was damaged by the explosion. AP Photo
A statue representing the Lebanese expatriate is seen in front of a building that was damaged by the explosion. AP Photo
People walk with their belongings in the area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA
People walk with their belongings in the area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA
The curtains in the rooms of the Le Gray hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut swaying in the wind. AFP
The curtains in the rooms of the Le Gray hotel in the Lebanese capital Beirut swaying in the wind. AFP
A view of a damaged Fransa Bank. EPA
A view of a damaged Fransa Bank. EPA
People check damaged vehicles. EPA
People check damaged vehicles. EPA
Volunteers clean the streets amid the wreckage. Reuters
Volunteers clean the streets amid the wreckage. Reuters
People carry belongings after evacuating their damaged housing units at area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA
People carry belongings after evacuating their damaged housing units at area of Mar Mikhael and Gemayzeh. EPA
A destroyed Bank Audi SAL branch stands in Beirut. Bloomberg
A destroyed Bank Audi SAL branch stands in Beirut. Bloomberg
A worker wearing a protective face mask stands at the entrance to a destroyed Fransabank SAL branch in Beirut. Bloomberg
A worker wearing a protective face mask stands at the entrance to a destroyed Fransabank SAL branch in Beirut. Bloomberg
Volunteers carry brooms as they walk to clean the streets. Reuters
Volunteers carry brooms as they walk to clean the streets. Reuters
A woman sits in front of a damaged building. EPA
A woman sits in front of a damaged building. EPA
A general view of the Beirut port area after the massive explosion. EPA
A general view of the Beirut port area after the massive explosion. EPA
An aerial view shows the massive damage done to the Electricity of Lebanon building. AFP
An aerial view shows the massive damage done to the Electricity of Lebanon building. AFP
A view of the damaged building of the Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad. EPA
A view of the damaged building of the Lebanese fashion designer Zuhair Murad. EPA
Volunteers gather aid supplies to be distributed for those affected by Tuesday's blast. Reuters
Volunteers gather aid supplies to be distributed for those affected by Tuesday's blast. Reuters
Lebanese men clears rubble, one day after the explosion at the Beirut Port, in the Gemayzeh area. EPA
Lebanese men clears rubble, one day after the explosion at the Beirut Port, in the Gemayzeh area. EPA
Lebanese youth salvage a velvet sofa from a destroyed apartment in the Gemayzeh area of Beirut. EPA
Lebanese youth salvage a velvet sofa from a destroyed apartment in the Gemayzeh area of Beirut. EPA
Lebanese activists take part in a campaign to clean the damaged neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP
Lebanese activists take part in a campaign to clean the damaged neighbourhood of Mar Mikhael. AFP
An injured Lebanese shop owner sits at her desk selling her wares. EPA
An injured Lebanese shop owner sits at her desk selling her wares. EPA

An estimated 300,000 people including around 100,000 children, whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the blast, face a lack of access to critical safe water and sanitation services, Unicef warned on Friday.

"As Covid-19 cases continue to surge, it is more critical than ever to ensure that children and families whose lives were turned upside down by the explosion have access to safe water and sanitation," said Unicef Lebanon Representative Yukie Mokuo.

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Tomorrow 2021
More on this story:
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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How to get exposure to gold

Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.

A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.

Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.

Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.

London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long

However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.