blast | Common News Update

Aug262020 by adminNo Comments

Largest-ever hydrogen bomb blast shown in declassified Russian video

Technology

A declassified video showing the detonation of the most powerful nuclear weapon ever built and tested, the Tsar Bomba, has been published.When the hydrogen bomb was tested over the Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya on 30 October 1961, it created the most powerful man-made explosion ever, equivalent to 50 megatons of TNT. Documentary footage opening with a caption declaring it to be "Top Secret" was released by Russian nuclear energy agency Rosatom in connection with the 75th anniversary of the nuclear industry.[embedded content] The video shows the massive explosion from a range of angles and distances, as well as revealing some of the work that went into building the device.According to the documentary, the Soviet bomber used to drop the device had to be coated with reflective white pai...

Aug92020 by adminNo Comments

Ministers quit as violent protests grip Beirut after blast

World

Two Lebanese government ministers have quit following the devastating explosion in Beirut that killed more than 150 people, as violent protests gripped the city for a second straight day. As protesters called for a sustained uprising to topple the country's leaders, police fired tear gas and clashed with hundreds of people attempting to breach the heavily guarded parliament. A fire broke out at an entrance to parliament square as rock-throwing protesters tried to break into the cordoned-off area, Lebanese TV channels showed.In the political fallout of the blast, information minister Manal Abdel-Samad said she was resigning "given the magnitude of the catastrophe" and "in response to the public will for change". ...

Aug52020 by adminNo Comments

Beirut blast: What is ammonium nitrate and why is it so dangerous?

Technology

If, as seems to be the case, the Beirut explosion was caused by thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse, the blast demonstrates the deadly potential of this common agricultural chemical. What is ammonium nitrate? With the chemical formula NH4NO3, ammonium nitrate is a naturally occurring, highly soluble white crystalline solid, more commonly known as saltpetre.The largest deposits are found in the Atacama Desert in Chile, from where it was mined. These days almost 100% of the chemical that is used is synthetic, produced by reacting ammonia with nitric acid. ...

Aug52020 by adminNo Comments

At least 135 killed and 5,000 hurt in Beirut blast as officials put under house arrest

World

The number of dead in Beirut's huge explosion has risen to at least 135, with around 5,000 injured and tens of people still missing.The rise was announced by health minister Hamad Hassan as rescuers continued a desperate search for survivors. Up to 300,000 people have been left homeless and families are still counting the casualties and searching for the dead.A two-week state of emergency in Beirut was also announced by Lebanon's cabinet, handing control of security in the capital to the military, as the disaster is investigated.The cabinet has ordered port officials involved in storing or guarding ammonium nitrate since 2014 to be put under house arrest. ...

Aug42020 by adminNo Comments

Beirut blast: Dozens dead and thousands injured, health minister says

World

Media playback is unsupported on your device A large blast in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has killed at least 70 people and injured more than 2,700 others, the health minister says.Videos show smoke billowing from a fire, then a mushroom cloud following the blast at the city's port. Officials are blaming highly explosive materials stored in a warehouse for six years. President Michel Aoun tweeted it was "unacceptable" that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored unsafely. An investigation is under way to find the exact trigger for the explosion. Lebanon's Supreme Defence Council said those responsible would face the "maximum punishment" possible. Hospitals are said to be overwhelmed and many buildings have been destroyed.President Aoun declared a th...