Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

One of Beirut's most well-known nightclubs has been turned into a shelter for displaced Lebanese residents amid ongoing Israeli raids.

Sky Bar, a top nightclub in the Middle East where some of the region's renowned pop and movie stars have enjoyed evenings, is now hosting about 400 people who have fled the fighting from across Lebanon.

The government says more than 1.2 million people have been displaced by Israeli attacks since late September.

"After the bombardment that happened - the first one, of [Hezbollah leader] Hassan Nasrallah, everything shut down, everything stopped. So one of the owners was just passing by, just to check the premises and stuff. He saw a lot of people with no roofs, just sitting by the street with no clothes on, [very few things with them]. So he was the one who asked if they needed to be sheltered, and they said yes. This is how it started," said Gaelle Irani, Sky Bar's guest relations manager.

The Sky Bar team started by accepting some 70 people by the end of September, now they have nearly 400. VIPs who used to spend thousands of dollars a night at the club are now sponsoring the humanitarian effort, supplying the displaced here with food, clothes and a safe place to sleep.

"I told my relatives I was at Sky Bar. They couldn't believe it. They asked if I would pray in a bar. I said we pray and live like normal people. It used to be a nightclub, but now many reside in it, today it's like a mosque, not a nightclub," said Ali Hamieh, a displaced resident.

The Hamiehs are a family of nine. They all survived the bombing of their apartment building in Beirut's southern suburb known as Dahieh, the Hezbollah stronghold hit hard by Israeli strikes.

"Our neighbors and relatives are scattered all over the place, we only communicate by phone calls and ask one another 'are you ok?' or 'are you still alive?', that's the only way. Israel started attacking us in the Southern Suburb with sonic bombs, they terrified everyone. The fear left my daughter traumatized and started wetting herself. It started when she used to hear the news about people dying in some village or somebody's kid died or a building collapsed in some area and so on, she of course knew all these areas and that we live nearby," said Sahar Ali, Hamieh's wife.

Sahar is the glue holding the family together. She tries to provide as much care as possible for her children, to ease the trauma they've been through.

"In the 2006 war with Israel, I was never afraid. I sent my family to Syria, then volunteered at the Red Cross with other youngsters. Back then, my mom feared for my safety. Today, I fear for the safety of my kids. I remember seeing the children in Palestine in body bags, I said to myself I can never bear to face the same destiny, like the things we see happening in Palestine," said Sahar.

The Sky bar team provides activities to try and distract children from the buzzing of Israeli drones that surround them day and night.

"We don't have a specific time because we don't really know when this is going to end. It could stay for months, it could stay for days. We can wake up tomorrow with nothing. So until then we need to just be there stand with our people, stand with each other and try as much as possible to do what is the best for everyone," said Irani.

Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

Popular nightclub in Beirut turned into shelter for displaced Lebanese residents

The Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2”, which recently became the world’s highest-grossing animated film of all time, made its debut in Thailand on Thursday.

The film, known for its breathtaking animation and spectacular action sequences, is the first non-Hollywood film to exceed two billion U.S. dollars in global earnings, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan.

Now, Thai moviegoers are experiencing the story of the titular boy god from Chinese mythology, and his ally, Ao Bing, with plenty of fans showing up at a special preview screening on Wednesday.

"Ne Zha is like a hero — someone I've admired since I was a kid. I've watched so many versions of the story over the years, and there's no way I'd miss this one!" said Pheerawat Rittem, a moviegoer in Bangkok.

After watching the film, viewers said they were amazed by its high-tech visuals and relatable character.

"It was so much fun! The action was intense, and everything was just epic. It had all the elements of a classic Chinese film, like the ones I watched as a kid, but brought to life in stunning animation," said Balin Lamor, another Bangkok moviegoer.

"The love and respect for ancestors was portrayed so well in the movie. Some scenes were so emotional that they even made me cry because I connected with the characters. What I loved the most was that the movie was quite long, making it feel absolutely worth every baht I spent!" said Fah Watcharaattayaphon, another moviegoer.

"Ne Zha 2" was released on January 29 during the 2025 Chinese New Year festival holiday. It is a sequel to the 2019 animated box office hit "Ne Zha". Inspired by a Chinese mythological tale, the film features themes of defiance, fate, and self-confidence, which resonate universally.

World's highest-grossing animated film "Ne Zha 2" debuts in Thailand