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PTI spreads another fake news, misquotes PM Modi on coronavirus cases in India

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PTI spreads another fake news, misquotes PM Modi on coronavirus cases in India

News agency Press Trust of India (PTI) today misquoted Prime Minister Modi on the percentage of active Chinese coronavirus cases in India. Prime Minister Modi while interacting with the Chief Ministers of ten states of India said that in past few weeks, the percentage of active coronavirus cases in India has been coming down.

Prime Minister Modi said that the percentage of active cases of coronavirus cases in India has come down and the recovery rate has come up. “That means, our efforts have been fruitful,” PM Modi said. He added that this has added ray of hope and made us confident that things will get better soon.

However, news agency PTI again misquoted him and reported that PM Modi said that the number of active cases of COVID-19 in India have come down.

PTI misquotes PM Modi

This information is not only incorrect in sense that it misquotes PM Modi but it is also misleading because the absolute number of active cases of coronavirus in India is increasing. However, since the recovery rate has also gone up, the daily active cases curve has slightly taken a curve, thereby showing a decrease in the percentage of active coronavirus cases.

Active coronavirus cases in India

The absolute number of active cases of coronavirus have been increasing at a decreasing rate since past few days. That means, while the total new cases are also rising, so are the recoveries.

Slight bend in the daily total of active cases in India (graph courtesy: worldometers.info)

As per the details shared by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), one can notice a consistent decline in the total percentage of active cases.

Graph of recovery rate and active cases rate since June 15 (graph courtesy: PIB)

As can be seen above, the recovery rate is currently at almost 70%, which means almost 70% of total Chinese coronavirus patients in India have recovered. The same was about 51% on June 15. While India has still not peaked (where daily recoveries are more than daily new active cases consistently), the above graph shows that India is well on its path to recovery.

Hence, even though number of active cases is rising consistently, the percentage of active cases in India is seeing a decline.

PTI, the habitual fake news spreader

Earlier in June, PTI interviewed Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong wherein he blamed India for the clash between the two countries at Galwan Valley. PTI received flak over the fact that its journalist did not bother to counter-question the Chinese ambassador on his dubious claims. People had also pointed out that the ‘interview’ came across as a press release by the Chinese Communist Party rather than a genuine interview.

During Delhi assembly elections held earlier this year, the news agency had completely misreported the share of candidates with criminal records from various parties. While AAP had 51% candidates facing serious criminal cases, PTI reported it as only 25%, misquoting a report by Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR). Similarly, they had also changed the numbers for BJP and Congress.

Similarly, in July last year, PTI had published a report claiming that finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in parliament that demonetisation has no affect on economy. The finance minister herself had to clarify that she didn’t made any such statement, after several media houses carried the misleading report.

Update: PTI has now deleted its original tweet and tweeted a more accurate tweet on quote of PM Modi.

However, PTI has not offered any apology for the same.

Kerala gold smuggling case: All you need to know about the murky affair and the developments so far

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala gold smuggling case: All you need to know about the murky affair and the developments so far

The Kerala gold smuggling case has all the ingredients to be turned into a Bollywood thriller, involving globe-trotting investigation about the gold smuggling, politics, involvement of diplomats, terror angle and hawala links.

Recently, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials had reached Dubai to question Fazil Fareed, a key accused in the high-profile Kerala gold smuggling case. While on the other hand, another key accused in the case, Swapna Suresh, has been denied bail on Monday by a special NIA court in Kochi, observing that there’s prima facie evidence against her.

A few days back, the NIA hinted at the links between the gold smuggling case with the chief minister’s office. The involvement of high players in the gold smuggling case has heated up the politics in Kerala. However, gold smuggling is not a new phenomenon in the state. Last year, more than 550 kgs of gold was reportedly impounded in the state, a national record.

How was the Kerala smuggling case busted?

This particular case of gold smuggling by misusing diplomatic channels came to the fore on July 5, 2020, when the customs officials at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport confiscated baggage containing gold weighing over 30 kg and valued at around Rs 15 crore. This gold was inside diplomatic baggage that landed by air cargo, and was addressed to the UAE consulate.

Acting on a specific tip-off that a baggage was a part of a syndicate used to smuggle gold, the authorities found out that the luggage belonged to one Swapna Suresh, a staffer at the UAE consulate.

Key players involved in the smuggling

Swapna Suresh: Swapna Suresh had been the prime accused in the high-profile Kerala gold smuggling case. Suresh’s baggage, marked with the address of the UAE Consulate was held at the airport on July 5. Swapna Suresh was working as the marketing liaison officer Space Park under the Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL) that comes directly under the IT department.

The National Investigative Agency (NIA) has also reportedly recovered ₹1 crore in cash and almost ₹1 kg of gold from Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the sensational gold smuggling case that has wrecked Kerala’s politics.

M Sivasankar: He was the principal secretary of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and presided under the IT department under which Swapna Suresh was hired. Soon after his name came in the gold smuggling case, he was suspended and deposed from his office. The Customs departments, in their initial investigation, put him through the winger for over 9 hours. As per reports, Sivasankar is accused of making calls to the customs department to get clearance for a ‘diplomatic package’ that was smuggling 30-kg of gold.

He is currently being investigated if he had any links with Swapna Suresh and if he had used his authority to facilitate the gold smuggling. Reportedly, Sivasankar had facilitated the appointment of Suresh as the operations manager at the Space park under the department of Information Technology. However, according to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the appointment was made without his knowledge.

Sandeep Nair: He is another accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case. Nair was arrested from Bengaluru with the Prime accused Swapna Suresh. The NIA is investigating his role in facilitating the Kerala gold smuggling racket.

P S Sarith: A former employee at the UAE consulate, Sarith has been another prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case. He was arrested by the Customs authorities and is currently in NIA custody. He was arrested after investigative agencies found out that he nade several calls to M Sivasankar prior to the gold smuggling.

Fazil Fareed: Another Keralite based in the UAE who is suspected by the NIA to be involved in the smuggling of gold. The NIA had recently reached Dubai for Fareed’s interrogation after it secured a ‘blue colour’ Interpol notice against him. NIA believes Fareed could be the link that connects Kerala gold smuggling with terror activities.

Fareed is also mentioned in the FIR, suspected of one of the suppliers of the gold that was used in smuggling via diplomatic channel.

KT Jaleel: A minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government, the NIA is probing his call records after it is being said that the prime accused Swapna Suresh contacted the leader. Jaleel defended himself claiming calls between him and Swapna had been professional in nature and has released Whatsapp chat between the two which shows that Suresh was assigned by the UAE Consulate General to coordinate distribution of food kits during Ramadan.

The investigation in the case so far

The investigation was initially started by the Customs department but the Ministry of Home Affair on July 9 transferred the case to the National Investigation Agency citing the case may have “serious implications for national security”.

The probe in the case started with the questioning of one of the accused, P Sarith, a former employee of the UAE consulate. Custom officials in Kerala had earlier nabbed Sarith and in his interrogation he had divulged that Suresh, also a former staffer, had forged documents to misuse diplomatic privileges.

By then, Swapna Suresh had gone absconding. She, along with another accused, Sandeep Nair, were later tracked down in Bengaluru and arrested.

As per the preliminary investigation carried out by several agencies, the racket had been smuggling gold since September 2019. They had smuggled around 150 kgs of gold till date. The interrogation of the suspects will shed more light on their modus operandi and the other people involved.

The NIA has booked PS Sarith, Swapna Suresh, Sandeep Nair and Fazil Fareed under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act(UAPA). Barring Fareed, all others have been arrested. The NIA is also probing an angle about the proceeds of the crime being used to fund terror activities in the country.

The NIA team reached Dubai on Monday to question Fareed in connection with the high-profile gold smuggling case. Earlier, the Customs Department officials had registered Fareed’s statement on a phone call.

Accusations of links of the smuggling case with the Kerala government

The case has embroiled the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government in the state, which has found itself in the eye of the storm kicked up by the preliminary investigation into the gold smuggling case. The fact that the case was busted amidst the worsening coronavirus crisis in the state has only exacerbated the situation for the government.

The alleged involvement of the principal secretary of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the gold smuggling case has made matters worse for the government, who is facing a groundswell of protest from the opposition parties, with the state elections slated to happen next year. The Opposition has asked the National Investigation Agency(NIA) to interrogate CM Pinarayi Vijayan over the matter and asked him to tender his resignation, taking moral responsibility for the unscrupulous acts of his principal secretary.

Gold smuggling linked to funding terror activities

The NIA had added that an initial probe by the Ministry of Home Affairs had conducted an initial probe and found that the smuggled gold was used for funding terror activities. 

Responding to the court’s query on how a smuggling incident can be linked funding terror activities, the counsel representing agency argued that illegal activity of such high-level sophistication is a threat to the nation’s financial stability. In contrast to hawala and counterfeit money, a single bid of gold smuggling can garner a huge amount.

Russia: World’s first COVID-19 vaccine approved by the health ministry, Putin’s daughter gets vaccinated

OpIndia Staff
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Russia: World’s first COVID-19 vaccine approved by the health ministry, Putin’s daughter gets vaccinated

Russia has announced that they have approved a vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus. As per reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that his own daughter was among those people who were first inoculated.

Speaking at a government meeting Tuesday, Putin said that the vaccine has proven efficient during tests, offering a lasting immunity from the coronavirus, as per a report in the Associated Press.

Putin stated that one of his two daughters has received the vaccine and is feeling well. Russia has informed that doctors, nurses and teachers, among other risk groups will be vaccinated first.

Uttar Pradesh: 20-year-old woman studying in USA dies in a road accident in Bulandshahr, police deny media’s claims of eve-teasing

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: 20-year-old woman studying in USA dies in a road accident in Bulandshahr, police deny media’s claims of eve-teasing

Sudhiksha Bhati, a 20-year-old woman from Dadri, Greater Noida died in a road accident while going to a relative’s place in Buladshehr with her brother on Sunday. According to a press statement given by the District Magistrate, Sudhiksha was travelling on a two-wheeler with her brother. The Police said a Bullet bike pressed brakes in front of them and their bike hit it from behind. Sudiksha fell on the road and died on the spot while her brother sustained minor injuries.

The police have also informed that initial inquiry and the statement by the victim’s relative states that the brother who was driving the bike is under-age and was also not wearing a helmet.

Following the incident, there were many media reports claiming that the victim was travelling with an uncle and was harassed by some goons on the road. However, the police have stated that in the initial statement given by the minor brother, who was driving the bike, there was no mention of any goons or any kind of harassment on the road.

Bulandshahr Police also released the initial video statement given by Sudhiksha’s brother after the incident. From the initial investigation, the police have asserted that it was an accident. A Bullet bike travelling ahead of the victim’s bike had applied brakes due to traffic and the victim’s bike had dashed into the Bullet, following which the girl fell down. The police stated that eyewitness present at the spot were also asked about the incident as a part of the inquiry but none of them had mentioned anything about harassment or eve-teasing. The victim’s brother was seen stating that their bike was at a speed of around 30 km per hour but it hit the Bullet ahead with force because of the sudden brakes applied by the rider.

Police denies eve-teasing or harassment angle

DM Ravindra Kumar said, “The police did not get any information on the alleged eve-teasing yesterday when they reached the spot. The investigation is still going on.” He said that the police reached the spot as soon as they received information about the accident and sent the body for postmortem. “We are trying to contact the family members as they are not from Bulandshehr. The number of police got is unreachable, and we have sent a team to Sudhiksha’s home to talk to the family.”

Earlier today, Superintendent of Police Bulandshehr said that Aurangabad Police received the information about a road accident yesterday. When Police reached the spot, they found out that Sudhiksha was going to her uncle’s house with her brother when they met with an accident. She died on the spot, and the Police sent the dead body for postmortem.

The police statements and the details of their report, including the video statement given by the brother contradicts the media reports circulating that she was travelling with her uncle and some miscreants had harassed her on the way, casuing the accident. The Police are investigating the case keeping all information in mind.

Sudhiksha was studying in the USA (Massachusetts) after receiving a scholarship for the same in 2018.

Uttar Pradesh: Three injured as a group of Muslim men attacks Hindu youths in Meerut, FIR registered

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Three injured as a group of Muslim men attacks Hindu youths in Meerut, FIR registered

Three Hindu youths were attacked by a dozen Muslim youths with hockey sticks, leather belts, swords and knife over a trivial incident in Tehsil road, Mewana, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh Monday, reports Hindi Daily, Jagran. Police who reached the spot admitted the three injured Hindu youths to the CHC Health Center and based on their complaints filed an FIR against the absconding Muslim youths.

Communal clash over trivial matter

In what transpired, a minor fight had broken out between some children, belonging to both the communities, playing together on a playground on Meerut’s Tehsil road on Monday evening. The fight was later resolved by some adults of the communities. Later, when Karan, son of one Rakesh, a resident of Mohalla Munna Lal in Meerut’s Mawana district, along with his friends Shubham son of one Devendra and Vishal Chauhan son of Rajpal, a resident of Chauhan Chowk, were walking on the same playground on Tehsil Road, Mohalla Kabali Gate, Meerut, one Muslim youth Junaid son of Farahim, along with a dozen of other Muslim youths attacked the three Hindus with hockey sticks, belts and sharp weapons like swords and knives.

The three Hindus were injured in the ensuing scuffle. When police learnt of the incident, they rushed to the spot. It is alleged that during the scuffle several rounds were also fired. Junaid along with his accomplice fled. The police took the three injured Hindu youths to CHC health Center and lodged an FIR against Junaid and others.

Meerut police deny claims that live rounds were fired in the incident

As per the Jagran report, SO Satish Kumar, however, denied to claims that live rounds were fired in the incident. He said that the situation was in control and no sort of communal tension had erupted after the incident. He assured that police would investigate the matter and the accused would be arrested soon.

OpIndia reached out to Meerut Police for a statement but could not get through.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar draws flak for welcoming the Ram Mandir and demanding CBI inquiry into the alleged suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput

OpIndia Staff
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NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar draws flak for welcoming the Ram Mandir and demanding CBI inquiry into the alleged suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput

Parth Pawar on Monday drew criticism from several quarters for his tweet welcoming the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Calling it a cultural victory, Pawar had tweeted that the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir will remain etched as the ‘civilisational awakening of Bharat’.

Parth is son of the Maharashtra deputy chief minister and a senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar. NCP is one of the key allies of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, besides Congress and Shiv Sena. Parth took to social media to express his support for the construction of the much-awaited temple and ended his communiqué with the slogan of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. 

“Finally, Shri Ram, who embodies the faith and cultural identity of India, will be home in peace. The fight was bitter and long. And finally, we as a generation, have arrived at a historic day, when we will witness the reinstallation of the Hindu faith,” he said.

However, Parth was quick to reiterate his commitment to Gandhiji’s Ram Rajya and asked to respect those lost the land in the dispute. He asserted that Ramlalla being given his due reminds one of the Ram Rajya, which “our beloved Bapu” swore by.

“However flawed or weak or irrational the arguments, there was a sentiment attached to Babri Masjid. Let’s respect those who lost. Their arguments and claims have anyway been defeated thoroughly. Let’s move a bit forward and include those who feel they have lost in our victory,” Pawar said in the statement. 

However, Parth’s comments on Ram Mandir did ruffle a feathers as the senior NCP leaders came into the defence of the deputy chief minister’s statement on Bhoomi pujan. NCP MP Supriya Sule downplayed her nephew’s remarks, saying Parth spoke in his personal capacity. Another NCP leader said Parth used his personal stationery for the statement. 

Parth’s statements on the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir assumes profound significance, as many Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders have been mealy-mouthed about the event that marked the restoration of the temple, almost after 500 years of its conquest. 

Besides, last month Parth went against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s avowed stand on Sushant Singh Rajput’s alleged suicide case and asked for a CBI inquiry into the mysterious death of the Kai Po Che actor. 

Pawar’s maverick opinions have drawn flak from the party and alliance loyalists, who had questioned if everything is fine among the Pawar clan.

Nikhil Wagle, a journalist and Maha Vikas Aghadi government sympathiser was profoundly perturbed by Parth’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the Sushant Singh Rajput’s alleged suicide case and his statement on the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir. Wagle wondered if anything is “cooking” in the precarious Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. 

Parth’s statement also elicited a response from NCP leader and Maharashtra’s Minority Development minister Nawab Malik, who brushed aside Parth’s comments by calling him callow and inexperienced.

“Parth Pawar is young, new, he lacks experience, so such things happen. But this will not lead to any differences,” Malik said.

Uttar Pradesh: Noida man arrested for making threatening call regarding PM Modi ahead of Independence Day

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Noida man arrested for making threatening call regarding PM Modi ahead of Independence Day

Days before the Independence Day, Noida Police have arrested a 33-year-old man on Monday after he called the emergency number ‘100’ and threatened to harm Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Police said that they had identified the man as Harbhajan Singh resident of Sector 66, Noida. He hails from Haryana and prima facia appears to be a drug addict.

After receiving the call from Harbhajan in which he threatened to harm PM Modi, the Police came in action and traced him. Police officers arrested him in Mamura. He has been sent for medical examination. Additional DCP (Central Noida) Ankur Aggarwal said, “A man, Harbhajan, has been arrested in Phase-3 Police Station area of Noida for calling Dial 100 and threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is being questioned. Prima facie, he seems to be a drug addict.”

Security steeped up ahead of Independence Day

Ahead of Independence Day, the security in and around the national capital has been increased especially in wake of the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan that was done by PM Modi on 5th August 2020. Uttar Pradesh Police is also keeping a strict vigil on members of PFI, SDPI and other Islamist organisations to ensure peace and harmony is not affected on the Independence Day.

Karnataka: Outrage across the state as raped minor commits suicide, family demands capital punishment for accused Basheer

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Outrage across the state as raped minor commits suicide, family demands capital punishment for accused Basheer

Outrage swept across Karnataka following the suicide of a minor girl who was raped by a known acquaintance. The 8th standard girl was on her way to a temple at Bhogura in Dharwad rural to pray for her ailing mother when the accused Basheer interdicted her before molesting and raping her.

According to the reports, the 14-year-old minor girl had visited a local temple at Bhogura village, Dharwad. The rape-accused Basheer Babusaba followed her to the temple. The 24-year-old accused then dragged her into a nearby sugarcane farm and raped the 14-year-old minor Hindus girl.

The girl returned home on the day and did not inform her parents. A day later, the victim reported the incident to her parents. The devastated parents decided to take her to the nearest hospital. As parents prepared to take her to the hospital, the 14-year-old minor decided to end her life by consuming poison. The minor girl was soon shifted to the hospital but later declared dead by the hospital authorities.

Reportedly, the accused Basheer was a frequent visitor to victim’s house and also helped the victim’s family in carrying out agricultural activities. The Dharwad police have arrested the accused Basheer. A case has been registered against the accused under sections of POCSO Act at the Garag Police Station, Dharwad.

We tried to reach Dharwad police officers for an update on the case, but could not be reached.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi visits victim’s family

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi met with the grieving family, consoled them and promised swift justice in the case. An amount of Rs. 1 lakh was handed over to the family by Joshi. The family of the slain girl demanded capital punishment for the culprit to the Union Minister.

The family that they had pledged their daughter that Basheer would be taught a lesson, but the girl was mentally disturbed by the ordeal and consumed poison. Though she was immediately rushed to the hospital, they were a tad too late, and the girl could not be saved.

Outrager across the state and on social media demanding capital punishment for Basheer

Across the past few days, the youth in the village have been demonstrating against the culprit Basheer, asking the authorities to hang him for raping the girl, who then committed suicide.

The protest did not limit to the village alone, entire Karnataka has been raging against the culprit, with citizens demanding capital punishment to the rapist Basheer. Netizens from Karnataka took to social media to launch a campaign demanding justice for the minor girl, her family and exemplary punishment for the culprit.

#JusticeForRoopa and #HangBasheer have been trending on the social media websites for the last couple of days and netizens have demanded that Basheer be hanged to death so that it serves as a deterrent for other rapists. The citizens have claimed that they are determined to pursue their fight until the rapist is awarded death sentence.

Meanwhile, Hindu organisations VHP, Bajrang Dal also demanded strict action and submitted a memorandum to the district authorities demanding death sentence the accused under Section 302 of IPC.

Rajasthan: Day after Sachin Pilot called Ashok Gehlot ‘his leader’, Congress forms committee to resolve grievances between the two

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Day after Sachin Pilot called Ashok Gehlot ‘his leader’, Congress forms committee to resolve grievances between the two

Looks like all’s well that ends well when it comes to the Rajasthan crisis. Days after ousting him from the position of Deputy CM and Congress State Chief, the grand old party is now trying to pacify the young leader.

On Tuesday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed that a 3-member committee has been constituted by the Congress party to resolve grievances with Sachin Pilot. He claimed that peace and brotherhood would always remain in the grand old party. Gehlot further accused the BJP of destabilising the government and reiterated that he has the support of all Congress MLAs who were earlier believed to have deserted him.

Congress undergoes a change of heart

The development comes a day after Sachin Pilot reportedly hailed Ashok Gehlot as his leader. “Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan,” the party had earlier said in a statement. Ashok Gehlot had lashed out at Sachin Pilot earlier and called him “nikamma and nakaara (useless)”. “We knew that no work is happening. We knew he is nikamma and nakaara (useless). We still didn’t question him keeping the party interest in mind,” Gehlot told the media.

The once disillusioned Sachin Pilot

Earlier, Sachin Pilot had expressed disappointment at Ashok Gehlot-run Rajasthan government and said that the government has failed to try and fulfil the promise it made to the people who voted for them. In an interview with India Today, Pilot said that he skipped the July 13 CLP meet held at Gehlot’s residence because his self-respect was hurt. He said that the state police served him notice under sedition law, the law their party had promised to repeal. “If you remember the Congress party manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we talked about repealing the draconian sedition laws. And here a Congress government was using it against its own minister,” he told India Today.

Beirut blast aftermath: Amid widespread protests against corruption, Lebanon government resigns

OpIndia Staff
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Beirut blast aftermath: Amid widespread protests against corruption, Lebanon government resigns

The Government of Lebanon has resigned amid increasing public anger and widespread protests after the massive blast that occurred in the port area in Beirut on August 4. Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the nation to inform about his resignation before submitting it to President Michel Aoun on Monday evening. Diab, in his statement, said that the explosion that took place on 4th August was because of the corrupt political elite. He said, “Their corruption created this tragedy.”

Diab’s announcement of stepping down from the post of Prime Minister came as anti-government protests were going on in Beirut. According to reports, the Prime Minister and the President of Lebanon were warned about the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of Beirut. In the report, it was mentioned that if such an explosion takes place, it can destroy the whole city.

In just two weeks of the report, an explosion took place at the port that resulted in 163 deaths and loss worth billions of dollars. Lebanon is already struggling with an acute economic crisis, and the explosion followed by the resignation of the cabinet will lead to political uncertainty in the country.

Vast quantities of an explosive material ammonium nitrate was stored in a large warehouse near in Beirut’s port area. The blast registered 3.3 in the Richter Scale and had wiped out a chunk of the neighbourhood.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab in his television address to the nation before the resignation said, “we are taking a step back to stand with the people, to wage the battle for change with them.” He did not take any names in the address. He added, “I discovered that the system of corruption was bigger than the state and that this system bounds the state, and that it is not possible to confront it or get rid of it.”

Protesters say resignation is not enough

New clashed are erupting in Lebanon, creating battle zones between protestors and security forces. The protestors said that the resignation does not equate to their demands. The protesters are now claiming that they will force the President and the Speaker to resign as well.

Lebanon is neck-deep in problems

Before the resignation submitted by the Prime Minister, 20 cabinet ministers had already resigned. As of now, Diab will continue to serve the nation in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister is chosen. In the last few months, Lebanon has seen a severe economic crisis. The country defaulted on a $1.2 billion payment for foreign bonds for the first time in history. The currency had already lost 80 percent of its value before the explosion. The blast is being seen as a result of poor governance that is blamed for the economic crisis as well.

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