Najm Quits in Third Cabinet Resignation in Wake of Blast

Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm submitted her resignation on Monday in a third cabinet resignation after the deadly mega-blast that shattered the capital Beirut on August 4.

Najm is the third Cabinet member to step down amid anger in the country following the blast.

A Cabinet meeting is scheduled for Monday, amid reports that the whole government might resign. If a total of seven ministers resign, the Cabinet would effectively become a caretaker government.

People in Lebanon have blamed the explosion on negligence and mismanagement. Angry protests followed amid calls for government officials to resign.

Information Minister Manal Abdul Samad and Environment Minister Demianos Qattar stepped down earlier Sunday.

A number of lawmakers also resigned from the parliament.

The blast killed 160 people and wounded 6,000, and left many Lebanese homeless.

It caused widespread devastation across the capital and obliterated the port.

It appears to have been caused by a fire that ignited a stockpile of explosive material stored at the port since 2013.