A fire broke out on Tuesday morning at the Zaha Hadid building in central Beirut. Videos on social media showed firefighters attempting to extinguish the flames as smoke billowed from the building and over the Hilton hotel next door.
Crowds gathered around the famous building, designed by celebrated architect Dame Zaha Hadid, as parts of the external wall fell away in the flames.
The Lebanese Civil Defence has announced that the flames are now under control. There have been no injuries reported so far.
It was not immediately clear what caused the fire at the futuristic seafront building, which sits on the main road that runs past the port.
This is the second time in less than a week that the city has suffered a major fire. Last Thursday, a blaze broke out at Beirut port, destroying a warehouse storing aid and sending a thick plume of smoke over the city.
The latest fire appears to have engulfed part of the historic souk area in the centre of Beirut. The Zaha Hadid building, a new commercial complex designed by the late British-Iraqi architect, has been under construction for years and was nearing completion when the fire broke out.
The Lebanese capital is still reeling from the huge explosion that killed almost 200 people and injured more than 6,000 on August 4. The blast, which laid waste to swathes of the city and left around 300,000 homeless, prompted the government to resign six days later.
The country is facing an unprecedented economic crisis and financial collapse, blamed on decades of mismanagement and corruption by an entrenched political class.
Last month’s blast – caused by nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate being improperly stored at the port for years – is seen as the culmination of leaders unable to manage the country’s affairs or protect its people.
So far, authorities have been unable to provide answers about the explosion, and there has been no accountability for it.
Last week's fire prompted terrified residents to open their windows and take refuge in corridors fearing a repeat of the August 4 explosion.
It's unclear what sparked the flames last week, which reignited on Saturday before being fully extinguished.
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
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Hunting park to luxury living
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- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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Michael J Mazarr
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Dh67
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- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
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- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
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Chelsea 0
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The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
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Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
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On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dimuth Karunaratne (stand-in captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan and Lasith Embuldeniya.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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