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

On Monday, the world’s top football talents will convene in Paris for the Ballon d’Or ceremony, with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior widely considered the frontrunner for the men’s award and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati strongly favored to secure her second consecutive women’s title. The 2023/24 Ballon d’Or men’s shortlist is notable as it marks the first time since 2003 that neither …

Over the last three years, Elon Musk has engaged frequently with world leaders, meeting with presidents, prime ministers, legislators, and political candidates globally. Some meetings, such as his visit with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following controversy over an antisemitic post on X, have been highly publicized. Others, like his recent chat with Argentina’s President Javier Milei, have surfaced primarily …

The new superhero film *Venom: The Last Dance* from Columbia and Marvel opened to a strong performance at the North American box office, leading with an estimated $51 million in ticket sales, though it didn’t quite reach the debut figures of its predecessors, according to industry reports. The previous film, *Venom: Let There Be Carnage*, premiered in 2021 with a …

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran will respond “appropriately” to Israel following its recent direct attacks on Iranian military sites, marking the first openly acknowledged strikes by Israel. “We do not seek conflict, but we will defend our nation’s rights and respond to the Zionist regime’s aggression,” Pezeshkian stated on Sunday, according to Iranian state television. Pezeshkian also …

On Sunday, refugees fleeing from Lebanon to Syria used a narrow makeshift bridge in Syria’s Qusair area, Homs province, after Israel’s recent strike disabled the official border crossing two days prior. The two countries share a 375-kilometer border, with only three functional crossings remaining. In recent weeks, Israeli airstrikes have struck Lebanon’s Matraba crossing in the northeast, followed by a …

The Lebanese health ministry reported that Israeli strikes on Sunday resulted in at least 21 fatalities across southern Lebanon. In Haret Saida, located near Sidon’s port city, nine individuals lost their lives and 38 were injured, the ministry confirmed. Additionally, seven people—including a nurse and three emergency workers—were killed in the southern village of Ain Baal, while another five died …

Iran’s top Revolutionary Guards commander has warned Israel of severe repercussions following its recent airstrikes on Iranian military sites, according to local media on Monday. Hossein Salami, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, told Tasnim news agency that Israel’s air raids on Saturday “failed to achieve their harmful objectives.” The strikes were reportedly a response to Tehran’s missile attack on …

Lebanon’s health ministry reported that an Israeli airstrike hit the southern city of Tyre on Monday, resulting in at least five fatalities and injuring 10 more. According to the health ministry’s statement, the “Israeli enemy’s strike this morning on a building” in Tyre’s city center “currently stands at five dead and 10 wounded,” with efforts ongoing to clear the debris. …