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

Denmark’s male football players have opted out of a pay raise for their national team roles, choosing instead to support achieving equal base pay for their female counterparts, according to the players’ union on Friday. Union spokesperson Magnus Hviid informed AFP that the men’s team declined a salary increase to better the conditions for the women’s team. He described the …

Several financially struggling Chinese cities are aggressively seeking back taxes from businesses, dating as far back as the 1990s, in an attempt to mitigate fiscal deficits exacerbated by a prolonged real estate downturn. Recent disclosures by at least eight prominent publicly traded companies reveal demands for substantial payments of overdue taxes, sparking widespread concern online and undermining the already fragile …

On Thursday, the Bank of England decided to maintain its main interest rate at 5.25%, a 16-year peak, despite inflation hitting the bank’s target of 2%. The decision comes amid concerns from some members of the bank’s nine-member Monetary Policy Committee that certain inflation metrics, particularly in the services sector, remain high and could escalate if rates are lowered prematurely. …

Former President Donald Trump recently introduced a proposal to eliminate federal taxes on tips, garnering considerable attention from Republican legislators, even as the broader implications and operational details of the plan remain unclear. Trump announced this tax initiative during a rally in Nevada on June 9, emphasizing that it would benefit tipped workers significantly. Nevada, a crucial battleground state in …

The flow of U.S. arms to Israel is essential to “defeat Hamas” and “deter” Hezbollah, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an interview with U.S. news portal Punchbowl News published on Friday, Netanyahu emphasized the importance of these supplies for achieving shared objectives. “It’s crucial for our common war aims to defeat Hamas and to prevent an escalation …

On Friday, Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers at the Ras al-Naqoura coastal post with a series of suicide drones in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Deir Kifa. Later, Hezbollah also targeted four posts in the occupied Shebaa Farms and Kfarshouba Heights. In response, Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Halta and Kfar Hamam, as well as a house near al-Naqoura. …

Egypt is actively involved in efforts to prevent a potential escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, according to a report. The Egyptian government has been in contact with both the United States and Cyprus to address concerns arising from Hezbollah’s warnings against Israel’s use of Cypriot territory in a conflict with Lebanon. Reports from al-Akhbar newspaper indicate that Egyptian officials from …

Armenia declared on Friday that it officially recognizes the State of Palestine, joining other nations in this move during the Gaza conflict. Yerevan stated that its decision stemmed from its opposition to violence against civilian populations and its adherence to international law, equality among nations, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence. Following Armenia’s announcement, Israel’s foreign ministry responded by summoning Armenia’s ambassador …