On Sunday evening, central Beirut witnessed clashes between activists and security forces after protesters tried to reach the parliament headquarters, while France sent an aid ship to remove the rubble after the Beirut port explosion last Tuesday, and the White House called for a full and transparent investigation.
The Lebanese protesters denounced what they described as negligence and corruption in state administrations and institutions, calling for an immediate investigation to uncover the causes and circumstances of the explosion, and Martyrs Square in the center of the capital Beirut witnessed a gathering to demand accountability for those responsible for the port explosion, the resignation of Hassan Diab's government and early parliamentary elections.
Meanwhile, the resignations among Lebanese politicians continue to come within the framework of the political repercussions of the Beirut port explosion, the months-long economic crisis and the blockage of reform prospects, as the Minister of Information and Environment announced their resignation, while the number of resigning MPs increased to 7.
US President Donald Trump has urged the Lebanese government to conduct a "full and transparent" investigation into the Beirut port explosion, and the White House said in a statement that Trump reaffirmed the readiness and willingness of the United States to continue providing assistance to the people of Lebanon.
The statement indicated that Trump agreed with other leaders on the need to closely coordinate the international response, and the White House statement called for calm in Lebanon while recognizing the legitimacy of the calls made by peaceful protesters for transparency, reforms and responsibility, according to the statement.
Donor conference
The donors ’conference, which was held on Sunday, pledged urgent aid to Lebanon, nearly $ 300 million, to overcome the repercussions of the Beirut port explosion, but confirmed that the aid would pass through the United Nations, and that it linked any future financial support to the reforms demanded by the Lebanese.
And the French presidency - which organized the conference - announced in a statement that the participants pledged to provide 252 million euros (298 million dollars), including 30 million euros provided by France, and this financial support aims at urgent relief that includes the provision of medicine and food, in addition to housing and schools.
In the same context, the helicopter carrier "Toniere" of the French Navy sailed on Sunday from the port of Toulon in southeastern France, bound for Lebanon, loaded with material and human resources, to help remove the rubble resulting from the huge explosion that destroyed large parts of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
The ship, with about 700 soldiers and several tons of equipment on board, set off from the port of Toulon, and the spokeswoman for the naval base in Toulon Christine Rib said, "We have received a request from the Lebanese for land and marine engineering equipment, so on board the ship are teams specialized in lifting rubble and what they need from the equipment. ".
The ship also carries an engineering group belonging to the Land Forces that includes about 350 people and a team of divers belonging to the National Navy that specializes in bomb disposal and has the ability to work under the sea and investigate port areas, in order to assist in the ongoing work in the Beirut port, which has turned into rubble.
On Sunday, Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud said that many foreign workers and truck drivers are still missing after the terminal explosion last week and are considered dead, which complicates efforts to identify the victims.
Abboud told Al-Jadid that there are many truck drivers and foreign workers who cannot be identified by the authorities. He added that no one knows them, and this is a difficult task that takes time.