By Tom Perry and Ghaida Ghantous BEIRUT (Reuters) - More than 15 years since Lebanon's Rafik al-Hariri was killed by a massive bomb blast in Beirut, the verdict of a U.N.-backed tribunal into his assassination is due on Tuesday as the country reels from the aftermath of an even bigger explosion. The Aug. 4 port blast, which killed 178 people, has overshadowed the long-awaited verdict. It was the biggest explosion in Lebanon's history and more powerful than the bomb that killed Hariri and 21 others on Beirut's seafront corniche in 2005. Hariri, a Sunni billionaire seen as a threat to Iranian and Syrian influence in Lebanon, had close ties with the United States, Western and Sunni Gulf Arab allies opposed to Iran's expanding role in Lebanon and the region.

Four members of the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah have been on trial in absentia over the killing of Saudi-backed Hariri, Lebanon's main Sunni Muslim leader. Hezbollah denies any role in the killing, which set the stage for years of confrontation, culminating in a brief civil war in 2008. The verdict comes as new divisions emerge over demands for an international inquiry and political accountability for the port blast, caused by a huge amount of unsafely stored chemicals. It may further complicate an already tumultuous situation following the explosion and the resignation of the government backed by Hezbollah and its allies. "We're scared. The country is unsettled," said Ebtisam Salam, a woman in her 60s, from Beirut's Tariq al-Jadida neighbourhood, a political stronghold of the Hariri's Future Movement which has been led by his son Saad son his death. She plans to watch the verdict on TV. "Hopefully the truth will come out," she said.

By Barbara Wojazer and Rory Sullivan -- CNN -- — Lebanese President Michel Aoun has said it would be "impossible" for him to resign following calls for him to leave office over the deadly explosion in Beirut. His comments came after the Lebanese government stepped down on Monday night in the wake of the blast that killed more than 170 people and injured more than 6,000 others. Speaking about the possibility of his resignation, Aoun said in a recorded interview with French network BFM Saturday: "This is impossible, because this would lead to a power vacuum. The government resigned. Let's imagine that I was to resign. Who would ensure the continuity of power? "If I were to resign, one would need to organize elections right away. But the current situation in the country does not allow the organizations of such elections," he added. When asked about the investigation into the explosion, Aoun cited its complexity, saying it "won't be able to be finished very quickly as we wished it to."

The President added that he has asked the judicial council to supervise the probe and called for an "independent magistrate" to investigate. The massive blast that hit Lebanon's capital on August 4 damaged much of the city and sparked violent protests against the authorities. Less than a week after the explosion, Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab described it as a "disaster beyond measure" during an address in which he announced his resignation and that of his government. In his speech, Diab took aim at Lebanon's ruling political class for fostering what he called "an apparatus of corruption bigger than the state" and said his government had chosen "to stand with the people" by stepping down. While suggesting that members of his Cabinet had "fought valiantly and with dignity," he added: "Between us and change is big powerful barrier."

by euronews.com — France is to resume issuing visas to Lebanese people “out of solidarity” following the devastating explosion that destroyed a …

By AP -- Bassem Mroue and Andrea Rosa -- BEIRUT -- There can be no financial bailout for Lebanon, a senior U.S. official said Saturday, calling on the country's political leaders to heed popular calls for change, real reform and an end to endemic corruption. David Hale, U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, said the U.S. and its allies will respond to “systemic reforms with sustained financial support.” He also called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the Aug. 4 blast that killed nearly 180 people and wounded thousands. He said an FBI team is arriving this weekend to take part in the probe at the invitation of Lebanese authorities.

Hale arrived in Beirut on Thursday, where he met with volunteers helping out at the site of the blast, as well as the country's top political and religious leadership. “America calls on Lebanon's political leaders to finally respond to the people's longstanding and legitimate demands and create a credible plan - accepted by the Lebanese people - for good governance, sound economic and financial reform, and an end to the endemic corruption that has stifled Lebanon's tremendous potential,” he said. “But as the dozens of young activists and volunteers I met so bluntly demanded, there can be no bailout,” Hale said in a recorded message posted on the U.S. Embassy website Saturday. Hale's comments were in line with Washington's message before the visit. But he didn't detail whether the U.S. and Western allies are ready to support a government in which Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group has clout. After visiting the site of the blast, Hale called for the state to exercise control over its borders and ports, in a clear reference to claims Hezbollah group controls them. “We can never go back to an era in which anything goes at the port or borders of Lebanon,” Hale said.