Grief and wrath as Lebanon marks year since deadly blast

Pope says many have lost ‘even the illusion of living’; Macron pledges more aid for Lebanon, including COVID-19 vaccines; Lebanese mark explosion with marches, demands for justice

Lebanon marked the first anniversary of the catastrophic Beirut port explosion on Wednesday, with residents expressing anger and sadness in a city where many are still in mourning and demanding justice.

One year since the blast, caused by a huge quantity of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the port for years, no top official has been held to account, infuriating many Lebanese as their country endures a crippling financial collapse.

The Lebanese investigation into the blast is stalling as requests to question senior politicians and former officials have been denied.

More than 200 people were killed and thousands more wounded in the blast. One of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded, it was felt in Cyprus, more than 240 km away.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has led Western pressure on Lebanese leaders to enact reforms, pledged a further 100 million euros ($120 million) in emergency aid for Lebanon, and 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Macron will seek to raise more than $350 million in aid at a donors’ conference on Wednesday.