Lebanon: Prime Minister Calls for Early Polls to Halt Protests

Lebanon's Prime Minister Hasan Diab on Saturday called for early parliamentary elections in an attempt to contain the protests unleashed in Beirut after the tragic explosion.

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"On Monday I will convene the Council of Ministers to hold early elections," Diab said shortly after a crowd tried to break into the Lebanese Parliament building.

Lebanese police were forced to use tear gas against the crowd, who tried to break through barricades and threw stones at the officers.

The protesters blame the government for the huge explosion that shook the country on August 4. Many of them refuse to leave the streets.

A group of demonstrators took control of Lebanon's Foreign Ministry and claimed the institution as their headquarters.

So far, 130 people have been injured and 28 of them have been taken to hospitals.

Pictures posted on social networks show riot officers trying to disperse the crowd as tear gas disperses in the air.

There have also been reports of gunfire at the site of the demonstrations. According to police, these are rubber bullets.

Beirut's Martyrs' Square is the epicenter of the city's demonstrations, although many protesters have moved to areas affected by the explosion.