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Lebanon’s Government Set to Resign, Minister Announces Lebanon’s Government Resigns Amid Widespread Anger Over Blast
(32 minutes later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s cabinet was set to resign on Monday, the health minister said, a move that could open a new political void as the country struggles to recover from a massive explosion last week that ravaged swaths of the capital. BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s cabinet resigned on Monday, opening up a new political void as the country struggles with a crippling economic crisis and reels from an enormous explosion last week that ravaged swaths of the capital.
The minister, Hamad Hassan, announced the decision to reporters after a cabinet meeting but before the Prime Minister Hassan Diab had officially informed President Michel Aoun. No other ministers confirmed that information, but three of the Cabinet’s 20 members had already resigned. In a televised address, Prime Prime Minister Hassan Diab, in office since January, said he and his cabinet ministers were standing down amid widespread anger over the death and destruction caused by the blast.
“The whole government resigned,” Mr. Hassan told reporters, adding that Mr. Diab would go to the presidential palace and “hand over the resignation in the name of all the ministers.” The fall of Mr. Diab’s government reflected how deeply last week’s explosion — which killed more than 150 people, wounded 6,000 and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless — has rattled the small Mediterranean nation. Lebanon was already struggling with deep economic and political crises before the blast caused billions of dollars in damage to Beirut.
Mr. Diab, in office since January, was expected to address the nation later on Monday. In recent months, Beirut has been shaken by violent protests, the local currency has lost much of its value, and unemployment and inflation rates have soared. Those problems will hamper Lebanon’s ability to recover from the blast, and now it is unclear which leader will take charge of that process, including negotiating aid packages with potential donors and putting in place long-delayed reforms.
The explosion on Tuesday unleashed death and destruction on Beirut as it tore through the capital, killing more than 150 people, injuring thousands and adding new fuel to popular anger at the country’s political elite for what many consider decades of corruption and mismanagement. The explosion on Tuesday unleashed death and destruction on Beirut as it tore through the capital and adding new impetus to popular anger at the country’s political elite for what many consider decades of corruption and mismanagement.
Lebanese officials have said the blast occurred when a fire ignited 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used to make fertilizer and bombs, that had been stored in the Beirut port since 2014, despite warnings from a number of officials that it was dangerous. Lebanese officials have said the blast occurred when a fire ignited 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used to make fertilizer and bombs, which had been stored in the Beirut port since 2014, despite warnings from a number of officials that it was dangerous.
Many in Lebanon considered the blast the latest manifestation of poor governance that had also caused a major economic crisis. Many in Lebanon considered the blast the latest manifestation of poor governance that had also caused the major economic crisis.