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

On Friday, Armenia returned four border villages to Azerbaijan, marking a significant step towards normalizing relations between the long-time rivals. Armenian border guard troops “officially” assumed new positions, according to Armenia’s national security service. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev confirmed that Baku’s border guards have taken control of the four settlements.

On Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced his decision to cut ties between Spain’s diplomatic mission and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, following Madrid’s plan to officially recognize a Palestinian state. Katz stated on X, “I have decided to sever the connection between Spain’s representation in Israel and the Palestinians, and to prohibit the Spanish consulate in Jerusalem …

The world cannot rely on U.N. peacekeepers to stop wars, whether in Gaza or other conflict zones, due to the inherent limitations of the famous Blue Helmets, according to Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under Secretary-General for Peace Operations. Lacroix stated that deploying a mission in the occupied Palestinian territories is “very, very, very hypothetical.” This follows the Arab League’s call for such …

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel has “surprising plans” for Lebanon. “We have eliminated hundreds of Hezbollah operatives, and the hand is still bent, even today,” Netanyahu stated on Thursday. “We have detailed, important, even surprising plans,” he added, without further details. This announcement followed an Israeli drone strike that killed a Hezbollah fighter in his car in …

Despite significant setbacks, Hamas continues to resist after seven brutal months of war with Israel, regrouping in heavily impacted areas of northern Gaza and resuming rocket attacks on nearby Israeli communities. Initially, Israel made tactical advances against Hamas following a devastating aerial bombardment that paved the way for ground troops. However, those early gains have turned into a protracted struggle …

On May 23, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson hosted a reception to celebrate the strong connections between the U.S. Embassy and the numerous Lebanese participants of U.S. Government-sponsored international exchange programs, according to the embassy. Ambassador Johnson praised the “remarkable achievements” of the alumni from these exchange programs, highlighting the significance the United States places on the “bridges of …

Mastercard announced on Wednesday that it expects to identify compromised credit or debit card numbers much earlier than before, thanks to its latest software update incorporating artificial intelligence (AI). This new technology aims to detect patterns in stolen card data more swiftly, allowing banks to replace compromised cards before they are misused by criminals. Johan Gerber, Executive Vice President of …

Phil Schiller, a veteran Apple executive, has conceded that a court-ordered overhaul of the U.S. payment system in the iPhone app store has not significantly boosted competition. This could lead to a federal judge demanding further changes. Schiller, who has overseen the iPhone app store since it launched in 2008, admitted during his testimony that the new payment options introduced …