World

Lebanon's state-run news agency says a massive blast in east Beirut was caused by a car bomb and that there are casualties.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw bloodied people being helped into ambulances and heavy damage to what appeared to be residential buildings in the mostly Christian Achrafieh neighbourhood.

The motive behind Friday's blast was not immediately clear.

Lebanon has seen a rise in clashes and tensions in recent months stemming from the civil war in neighbouring Syria.