Even for a city as used to war as Beirut, the devastation wrought on Tuesday afternoon was staggering.
In a moment, the blast ripped through the city, killing scores, wounding hundreds and seemingly smashing every pane of glass in the city.
It was hard to walk through the streets. Shards of glass appeared to cover everything.
The roads were filled with destroyed cars, toppled trees, rubble and even a collapsed house.
Nothing about Tuesday afternoon’s huge explosion at Beirut port is clear except for the scale of the devastation.
For kilometres around the seafront, homes are damaged and destroyed.
Wounded people covered in blood walked the streets, unsure of what to do or where to go. The wail of ambulance sirens echoed through the choked roads.
Dr Michael Aoun, 24, was at home when the blast ripped through.
He grabbed his medical box and ran out the door, he said, as he knelt down to tend to the dozens of cuts suffered by Marie, 86.
No one seemed to believe the scale of the explosion that, in a matter of minutes, upended the city.
But despite the destruction, Beirutis came out to help each other through yet another national crisis.
At any time, a disaster of this scale would be crushing, but Lebanon is grappling with the worst economic crisis in its history, a growing rubbish crisis, rising unemployment and poverty and – on top of everything else – a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The government is already struggling to handle the myriad crises it is juggling.
Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud broke down in tears at the scene of the explosion.
Mr Abboud said at least 10 firefighters sent to tackle the first blaze disappeared without a trace.
“I have not witnessed so much destruction in my life," he said. "It's similar to what happened in Japan, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
“This is a national catastrophe.”
As the sky darkened to night, the black smoke still rose from Beirut port as helicopters dropped water from overhead and firemen on the ground sprayed the site with hoses.
Shopkeepers sat on the curbside opposite, looking at their shattered businesses.
Others combed through the rubble of their livelihoods.
Faris, a man in his 60s, was already starting to clean up his shattered shop.
Despite the destruction around him, he maintained the calm resolve for which the Lebanese have become renowned in the face of crisis.
“We're used to this,” Faris said. “It’s the 10th time we've been bombed. It started with the Germans in 1948.”
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now