by rferl.org -- French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss post-election violence in Belarus and the situation in Lebanon following a devastating blast in Beirut. Macron also spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rohani, urging Tehran to avoid interfering in Lebanon or escalating tensions. Iran wields influence in Lebanon through the militant Shia Hizballah group, whose political wing was a major bloc in the outgoing Lebanese government and has an alliance with President Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian. Lebanon's government under Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned this week following days of demonstrations in the wake of an explosion at the Beirut port on August 4 that devastated entire neighborhoods of the city and left 171 people dead. In his talks with Rohani, Macron emphasized the "necessity for all the powers concerned...to avoid any outside interference and to support the putting in place of a government which can manage the emergency," the Elysee said.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Germany’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that Lebanon needed a government able to fight corruption and enact reforms as he toured Beirut port, scene of the devastating explosion that has kindled protests and led the government to resign. The Aug. 4 blast at a warehouse storing highly explosive material killed at least 172 people, injured some 6,000, left around 300,000 without habitable housing and wrecked swathes of the Mediterranean city, compounding a deep economic and financial crisis. “It is impossible that things go on as before,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said. “The international community is ready to invest but needs securities for these investments. It is important to have a government that fights the corruption. “Many in Europe have a lot of interest for this country. They want to know that there are economic reforms and good governance,” Maas added.

The resignation of Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government has deepened uncertainty. His cabinet’s talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout had already stalled over internal differences about the scale of financial losses. Forming a new government could be daunting amid factional rifts and growing public discontent with a ruling class that many Lebanese brand as responsible for the country’s woes. The foreign ministers of Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed on Wednesday on the importance of creating “beneficial external conditions” for the formation of a new Lebanese government, the Russian foreign ministry said. Humanitarian aid has poured in but foreign countries have made clear they will not provide funds to help pull Lebanon from economic collapse without action on long-demanded reforms to tackle systemic graft, waste, mismanagement and negligence.

Lebanese security officials warned the prime minister and president of catastrophic danger only two weeks before the explosion which left much of …

by arabnews.com -- DUBAI: Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim revealed this week, she has decided to leave her home country after a massive explosion ripped through the city of Beirut, killing over 135 people and injuring thousands. Last week, the star, who lives close to the port area where the explosion happened, underwent six hours of surgery. “In this moment, from the hospital, I made a decision: I will leave the country and live in safety in another country that respects its people,” she wrote to her one million twitter followers. “It is better than staying and dying in a country ruled by bullies.” The former Miss Lebanon then addressed the rulers in her tweet saying: “When you are buried underground, we will come back to our country. Otherwise, there is no need to speak any further, and thank you.” After the tragic incident, the star shared a video – shot by someone else – of her damaged apartment on Instagram. “Half my face and my body were covered in blood,” said Njeim. “I thank God first, who saved my life.