The French President Emanuel Macron will co-host a UN donors conference today in an effort to mobilise support to rebuild Beirut in the wake of Tuesday’s major explosion in the city.

The French President Emanuel Macron will co-host a UN donors conference today in an effort to mobilise support to rebuild Beirut in the wake of Tuesday’s major explosion in the city.
The explosion killed 154 people, injured around 5,000 and left up to half a million people homeless. 
Today’s conference, which will take place via video link, will seek financial pledges from participants including the US president Donald Trump.
It will also discuss how best to distribute aid so that it benefits people directly.
As anger grows in Lebanon over how Tuesdays huge explosion could have happened – the Lebanese Prime Minister last night addressed the nation saying he would request early parliamentary elections in an effort to defuse the crisis.
But Hassan Diab said  he was not to blame for the country’s political and economic problems.
Last night, protesters stormed several ministries in apparently planned raids.
At one point, protesters had stormed or taken over four key official buildings.
“We are officially at war with our government,” said activist Hayat Nazer, as tear gas filled the air in downtown Beirut.
The Netherlands also announced that the wife of its Ambassador to Lebanon had died on Saturday of injuries sustained in the blast.
Additional reporting from AFP