The explosion near Beirut’s port on Tuesday killed 135 people and injured thousands more, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Officials say 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate was the cause. According to public records, the chemicals were held at the port for six years, despite warnings about the danger they posed.
Today on Front Burner, we get a first-h ... Show More
Today
Why Quebec’s election has been turned upside down
In just over a month, Quebecers will head to the ballot box. And, until recently, this election seemed like a foregone conclusion: the Parti Quebecois, running on a promise to hold another independence referendum, had been ahead in the polls for the better part of three years.The ... Show More
26m 9s
Yesterday
Is Germany's firewall against the far right crumbling?
After a vote this weekend, the far right could take power in a part of Germany for the first time since WWII. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is far ahead in the polls in a state election in Saxony-Anhalt. They're promising massive changes to immigration, education, and what the ... Show More
30m 57s
Sep 1
Protein-maxxing and the age of self-optimization
Protein was once mostly associated with body builders and elite athletes, but today it's advertised everywhere from cereal boxes to fast food restaurants.It's just one facet of a broader phenomenon: many are referring to apps and gadgets to count their steps, count calories, and ... Show More
24m 15s
Aug 2020
What’s gone wrong in Lebanon?
The massive explosion that tore through Beirut on August 4th left more than 200 people dead, 6,000 injured, and as many as 300,000 homeless. The explosion was caused by a fire that ignited 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. When the blast hit, Lebanon was already ... Show More
23m 56s
Aug 2020
The Beirut Explosion w/ Lina Mounzer (E42)
I spoke with Lebanese writer and translator Lina Mounzer about witnessing and experiencing the Beirut explosion on August 4th, 2020. So far there are 157 deaths, 5,000 injuries, US$10–15 billion in property damage and an estimated 300,000 people left homeless.The blast was linked ... Show More
46m 56s
Apr 2022
Introducing What Happened to the Beirut explosion?
Elias Tarabay remembers Aug. 4, 2020, clearly. He arrived home after having a late lunch with a friend. He was living in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon. His house had a balcony that looked out at the city’s ports. Just as he settled in, he heard a loud explosion. Tarabay was ... Show More
39m 53s