7 Aug

Lebanese authorities say they have detained suspects in connection with Tuesday's massive explosion in the capital, Beirut.

They say they have 16 people in custody as part of an investigation into the deadly blast at the city's port. Those detained include port and customs officials.

Some people blame the unsafe storage of ammonium nitrate there.

The cause of the explosion has yet to be identified. However, local media have reported that it could have been triggered by welding work that was going on near the warehouse where the chemical was stored.

Meanwhile, there is growing anger against the government among Lebanese. They are criticizing it for storing the highly explosive material for many years at the port as well as failing to provide sufficient support for victims.

On Thursday night, some protesters set fire on roads and threw stones, which prompted security forces to spray tear gas in an effort to quell the unrest.

NHK