The Daily Star Lebanon Breaking News, Lebanon News, Middle East News & World News

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu arrived in Lebanon on Monday, marking their visit after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah brought an end to the intense fighting that had plagued the region since late November. During their visit, Barrot and Lecornu met with Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun. The following day, they are scheduled …

Mahmoud Qmati, the deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, has issued a warning that Hezbollah will change its approach towards Israeli soldiers if they remain in Lebanon for more than 60 days, which marks the initial phase of a ceasefire agreed upon in late November. Qmati explained that Hezbollah has committed to a period of patience for 60 days, but …

Aston Villa has been making impressive strides in the Premier League this season, combining youthful energy with experienced players. Ollie Watkins continues to shine, consistently scoring goals, while Jhon Duran has also had an impact despite some challenges. The solid defensive contributions from Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos have been crucial in securing key points. With dynamic midfielders like John …

Bournemouth has been making an impressive impact in the Premier League this season, combining young talent with experienced players. Dango Ouattara has been a standout with his pace and goal-scoring abilities, while Justin Kluivert has played a key role, contributing both goals and assists. Defensively, Marcos Senesi and Dean Huijsen have formed a reliable partnership, providing stability at the back. …

Syria’s current de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, stated that it could take up to four years to organize elections in Syria. He also plans to disband his Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has led the insurgency and is now overseeing the new authority in the country. Al-Sharaa shared these insights during an interview with Saudi television channel Al-Arabiya, …

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has called for a parliamentary session on January 9 to elect a president, aiming to resolve the two-year deadlock and revive Lebanon’s struggling state institutions. The session will start with multiple rounds of voting, and Berri emphasized that the key objective is for parliament to elect a president and for members to take responsibility. French Foreign …

Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces, stated that Lebanon’s ruling “establishment” remains firmly entrenched and unified. He described this establishment as consisting of Hezbollah, its allies, and the Free Patriotic Movement. Despite the emerging differences among the key factions within the establishment, Geagea pointed out that these groups are once again aligning with one another. The disagreements are secondary …

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga made an unannounced visit to Damascus on Monday, urging Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to expel Russian forces from the country. Russia had been a crucial ally of former president Bashar al-Assad, intervening in 2015 to help reverse the tide of Syria’s civil war in Assad’s favor. The overthrow of Assad was a significant blow …