Lebanese Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm has assigned Judge Tarek Bitar as a new lead investigator in the Beirut explosion probe to replace Fadi Sawan, who earlier faced accusations of political bias while investigating the blast, state-run news agency NNA reported

Russia will soon hold negotiations with Lebanese officials on providing assistance in restoration of the port of Beirut and other strategic sites that were damaged in the August 4 explosion, Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Rudakov said in an interview with Sputnik

Elie Ferzli, the deputy speaker at the Lebanese parliament, told Sputnik that he is optimistic regarding the prospects of a new government to be formed soon

The United States and France expect quick results from the investigation into the massive deadly blast in Beirut without any political interference, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a joint statement on Thursday