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Judge Charges Lebanon's Prime Minister with Negligence in Beirut Blast

VOA News

   The judge investigating an explosion in Beirut that killed hundreds of
   people has charged Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab and
   three former ministers with negligence.

   In addition to Diab, Judge Fadi Sawwan filed charges against former
   finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil and former public works ministers
   Ghazi Zeaiter and Youssef Finianos, Lebanon's official news agency
   reported Thursday.

   Sawwan charged the four men with carelessness and negligence that
   resulted in the massive August 4 blast that killed more than 200
   people, injured thousands and destroyed large parts of the capital
   city.

   The four are the most high-ranking officials to be indicted to date in
   the investigation into the explosion, considered among the largest
   non-nuclear blasts on record.

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