Short answers, pulled from the story.
The name Beirut first appeared during the 14th century BC on three Akkadian cuneiform tablets known as the Amarna letters. King Ammunira of Biruta sent these messages to Egypt, marking the earliest written record of the city.
About 60,000 people died in the first two years of fighting from 1975 to 1976 when the war divided Beirut between a Muslim west and Christian east. Syrian troops shelled Achrafiyeh relentlessly during a three-month campaign known as the Hundred Days' War in 1978.
At least 203 people died with three missing while more than 6,500 were wounded after a massive explosion occurred at the Port of Beirut on the 4th of August 2020. As many as 300,000 people became homeless after the blast caused by government-confiscated ammonium nitrate.
A banking secrecy law passed on the 3rd of September 1956 subjected all banks established in Lebanon to professional confidentiality requirements. Decree No. 29 established a free banking zone on the 1st of April 1975 exempting non-residents from income tax on interest earned.
The National Museum of Beirut holds about 1,300 exhibits ranging from prehistoric times to the medieval Mamluk period. The Sursock Museum was built by Nicolas Sursock at the end of the 19th century before being donated to the state, and the Mim Museum opened its doors in October 2013 displaying some 2,000 minerals from more than 70 countries.