Middle East

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne rises during a sitting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the House of Commons in Ottawa on August 12, 2020. Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is heading to Lebanon this week to get a firsthand look at the devastation caused by this month’s deadly explosions in Beirut. The visit marks Champagne’s first overseas travel since March, when the countries around the world, including Canada, closed their borders to slow the spread of COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Foreign minister to tour Beirut aid efforts on first overseas trip since COVID

Canada has so far committed $30 million to help pay for emergency food, water, shelter, medical help

A soldier stands at the devastated site of the explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron came in Beirut to offer French support to Lebanon after the deadly port blast. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)

Ottawa pledges up to $5M in aid to help people affected by Lebanon explosion

An initial $1.5 million is going to organizations such as the Red Cross to help meet urgent needs

People clean up after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Massive explosions rocked downtown Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the port, damaging buildings and blowing out windows and doors as a giant mushroom cloud rose above the capital. Witnesses saw many people injured by flying glass and debris. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Lebanese-Canadians look for ways to help while grappling with Beirut tragedy

Officials say at least 135 people were killed and more than 5,000 were injured in the blasts

Extensive damage shows at the site of an explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Residents of Beirut stunned, sleepless and stoic emerged Wednesday from the aftermath of a catastrophic explosion searching for missing relatives, bandaging their wounds and retrieving what’s left of their homes. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

‘I didn’t want to die’: Beirut resident recalls moments of panic after blast

It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city

Extensive damage shows at the site of an explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. Residents of Beirut stunned, sleepless and stoic emerged Wednesday from the aftermath of a catastrophic explosion searching for missing relatives, bandaging their wounds and retrieving what’s left of their homes. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Huge explosions rock Beirut with widespread damage, injuries

Huge explosions rock Beirut with widespread damage, injuries

Some local TV stations reported the blast was at Beirut’s port inside an area where fireworks were stored

Huge explosions rock Beirut with widespread damage, injuries