Wednesday morning news briefing: Beirut ripped apart by explosion

Danny Boyle
·5-min read
The huge explosion in the port of Beirut caused damage across miles of the city
The huge explosion in the port of Beirut caused damage across miles of the city

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Dozens dead in catastrophe likened to Hiroshima

The blast was so huge that it rattled shutters 150 miles away in Cyprus. Hospitals in Beirut were overflowing with casualties after a massive explosion that the governor of the Lebanese capital likened to Hiroshima. By this morning, at least 78 people had died and around 4,000 were injured - although the death toll was expected to rise. Read our dispatch from Middle East Correspondent Campbell MacDiarmid and follow the latest throughout the day in our liveblog. The cause of the blast was not immediately clear, but happened in the port area of the city - where state media and security sources reported there were warehouses storing ammonium nitrate. Read why the chemical is so dangerous and can have long-term deadly effects. View dramatic video footage from different angles of the moment the explosion erupted. And view a gallery of pictures showing how the ancient city was ripped apart.

It is hard to pinpoint exactly where it all went wrong for Lebanon. The country - described in better times variously as the Paris of the Middle East for its exuberant glamour and the Switzerland of the region for its exemplary banking sector - had looked to be thriving in recent years. But the image belied a much more complicated reality - something Josie Ensor witnessed as a correspondent in Beirut for The Telegraph. She explains in this analysis why the explosion was years in the making.

'Close pubs and shops to reopen schools', says tsar

Pubs and shops should be shut in order to reopen schools if a trade-off has to be made because of a rise in infections, the Children's Commissioner has told the Government. Anne Longfield said that if lockdown restrictions needed to be reimposed because of local Covid-19 flare-ups, schools must only be closed to bring transmission down as a last resort once all other options had been exhausted. The tsar also criticised ministers for treating children as an "afterthought" during lockdown. The Prime Minister has described reopening schools as a "national priority". With schools due to fully reopen in September, what does the guidance say? Read our full guide to what is likely to change.

Duchess of Cambridge in tears at lockdown stories

She is the epitome of decorum on royal engagements, giving little away as she smiles and shakes hands. But the Duchess of Cambridge has revealed she was reduced to tears after meeting vulnerable families who had struggled during the coronavirus pandemic, weeping when she had returned to the privacy of her own home. Victoria Ward explains how the mother of three cried after a private visit to a baby bank providing supplies to parents in need. Meanwhile, it has been announced that the Duke of Edinburgh is to feature in a "then and now" VJ Day tribute.

At a glance: More coronavirus headlines

Also in the news: Today's other headlines

Hack attack | The entire contents of a personal email account belonging to Liam Fox, the former international trade secretary, was stolen by Russian hackers, it has been claimed. Dr Fox's account was accessed multiple times. Political Editor Gordon Rayner reports how officials have also admitted that ministers get only "ad hoc" data security training.

Around the world: Spelling it out to save lives

Three sailors stranded on remote Pikelot Island in Micronesia were rescued after a search team in an Australian army helicopter spotted their giant SOS sign in the beach sand. View more pictures of the day.

The three men were found safe and well - AP/AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE
The three men were found safe and well - AP/AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE

Comment and analysis

Editor's choice: Features and arts

  1. Feeling the strain? | What lockdown has done to our bodies - and how to fix it

  2. Second wave preppers | The people already ready for another lockdown

  3. Inside Eden Rock St Barth's | Heavenly blend of cutting-edge art, lavish suites and glamour

Business and money briefing

Stashing the cash | The City of London is under pressure to curb a cascade of illicit Russian cash. Rachel Millard explains how banks, estate agents and law firms are accused of helping kleptocrats and oligarchs to stash their money in the capital.

Sport briefing

Back in the big time | Fulham ended their one-season visit to the EFL Championship last night, beating Brentford 2-1 in the play-off final and securing a return to the financial nirvana of the Premier League. Read Chief Football Correspondent Sam Wallace's match report from Wembley, where the teams could not be separated in normal time.

And finally... for this morning's downtime

Diana Moran interview | It has been almost 40 years since Diana Moran appeared on our screens in a shiny emerald leotard, running TV exercise classes. But as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the so-called Green Goddess returned to the BBC in March to get the nation moving while we were stuck in lockdown. The fitness icon tells Katie Russell how she stays physically and mentally fit at 81.

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