The people of Beirut have suffered so much | Annie Lewis


Within the next 10 minutes, my Twitter feed was flooded with videos of the kind of damage and destruction which is incomprehensible to us in the UK.
Lebanon now faces cataclysmic levels of devastation on top of years of political instability, a crippling economy and a worldwide pandemic.
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Hide AdFor now, acts of terrorism have been ruled out as the cause of the blast.
But with their capital blown to pieces, their hospitals unfit to cope with Covid-19 patients and those injured from the blast, the people of Lebanon are angry at their government.
And in the face of this rising anger and protests on the streets, the entire cabinet has resigned.
So is their complacency the villain of the piece? Why on earth was more than 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored for six years in a warehouse in the port?
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Hide AdMultiple reports suggest that a huge tremor-causing explosion was preceded by a fire, possibly of firecrackers.
The catastrophic disaster-in-waiting should never have been there in the first place. But like they say, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Lebanon’s now-caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab has stated that details of the storage will be announced soon, and that those responsible will not be spared.
But it’s no secret that this explosion has not only shattered livelihoods and homes but also faith in the Lebanese government. What will happen now, politically, is anybody’s guess.
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Hide AdAs the country recovers and the death toll – which currently stands at more than 200 with 7,000 more injured– rises, rescue organisations rush to the country’s aid to uncover what lies beneath the rubble.
Although they may not find answers and accountability, we can only hope that it will bring the Beirut community together to support one another through one of the most horrific chapters in its history.
Is it just me loving repeats of TV dramas at the moment?
Coronavirus has brought a halt to pretty much everything at the moment and that also includes some filming for new television series.
However I am loving the repeats of Line of Duty – the police drama which started in 2012 – and Tina and Bobby – documenting the marriage between the football star and his wife starring Michelle Keegan, star of Our Girl – on BBC.
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Hide AdWatching it again at least gives us the chance to understand the plot better, especially with the fast-paced nature of Line of Duty.
So as much as I am looking forward to new content soon, I am currently revelling in my favourite dramas which I haven’t had the chance to watch in years.
Rape allegations need to be taken seriously in parliament
Is parliament really a safe place for women?I ask this question along with groups of women’s charities and unions who are calling on parliament to step in and suspend a Conservative MP after he was arrested over rape allegations.
The man was arrested at the beginning of August and later released on bail.
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Hide AdThis looks like male Tory MPs can get away with such allegations and is not setting a good image of what British politics looks like to women.
The House of Commons says sexual assault ‘has no place in parliament’.
But we need to show the young women of today that if they’re brave enough to speak out, they will be taken seriously.