Death toll of Friday's Beirut blast climbs to 7

Death toll of Friday's huge blast that happened in the capital center has climbed to seven, state-run media reported on Saturday. One of the wounded succumbed to his injuries at one of the Beirut hospitals, the official media reported. Initially, it was reported that the explosion killed six people, including Mohammad Shatah, advisor to the former premier Saad Al-Hariri, and wounded scores others. The premier of the caretaker government, Neguib Mikati, declared Sunday a day of mourning in homage to the dead, namely the demised eminent politician. He would be laid to rest side by side of Rafic Al-Hariri, the ex-premier, who died in identical circumstances in 2005. Meanwhile, the Supreme Defense Council held a meeting, urging security authorities to exert greater efforts to assure terror-panicked citizens. Conferees, during the meeting presided by President Michel Suleiman, examined investigations into circumstances of the deadly blast.