In a year dominated by Covid-19, many other developments including China’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy, an apocalyptic explosion in Beirut, and a tumultuous US presidential election unfolded.

The Lebanese prosecutor probing last summer’s port explosion in Beirut filed charges on Thursday against the caretaker prime minister and three former ministers, accusing them of negligence leading to the death of hundreds of people, Lebanon’s official news agency said.

The head of Lebanon's customs authority Badri Daher was arrested on Monday after being questioned over the massive explosion in Beirut earlier this month, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Losses from the explosion in Bairut are estimated to be between $10 billion to $15 billion, Beirut Gov. Marwan Abboud told the Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath on Wednesday, adding that nearly 300,000 people are homeless.

At least 100 people were killed and several thousand injured in a massive explosion that rocked Beirut on Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday.