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

Intense combat resumed in Gaza on Wednesday, escalating the humanitarian crisis amidst a looming threat of famine. This follows the United States vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution for an immediate ceasefire, arguing it could hinder ongoing negotiations for hostage release. Brett McGurk, a senior White House official, is in Cairo attempting to mediate a resolution with Hamas. The conflict, …

Parliamentary discussions between Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil have been facilitated through a mutual intermediary, according to political insiders. Amid the ongoing impasse over the presidential election, Berri has emphasized the importance of dialogue as the key to overcoming the stalemate following Michel Aoun’s term conclusion in October 2022. Sources relayed to al-Akhbar newspaper that …

Should Lebanon and Israel escalate into full-scale conflict, Israel could face significant power disruptions, according to Kan News, citing statements from the Israeli Health Minister and the head of the Israeli Health Ministry. The projections indicate that 60 percent of Israel could experience rolling blackouts, with each outage lasting approximately two hours and occurring several times daily. Such power shortages …

An airstrike attributed to Israel targeted a residential district in Damascus, Syria, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals, as reported by Syrian state media. This incident is part of a series of increased Israeli airstrikes in Syria following the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on October 7, prompted by an attack from Hamas. Syrian state news agency …

During a visit to the Israeli Air Force’s new massive missile detection balloon stationed in northern Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the strategic calculations made by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah are failing. Gallant emphasized that the assumptions Hezbollah had about their tactical advantages are proven wrong when the Israeli Air Force and the army decide to strike, …

Scientists have discovered that stars beyond our Sun could significantly influence the orbital paths of planets within our solar system, including Earth, potentially altering their climates. Research indicates that the gravitational forces exerted by passing stars could shift Earth’s orbit, leading to dramatic climate changes. Such orbital adjustments have occurred in the past, with one event millions of years ago …

Astronomers have identified the most luminous object known in the universe: a voracious black hole that consumes a sun-sized amount of gas daily. This discovery was made by researchers at the Australian National University using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. The quasar, which is the celestial phenomenon in question, has a mass equivalent to 17 billion Suns and …

A drama documentary on Netflix about Alexander the Great titled “Alexander: The Making of a God” has sparked controversy for its alleged historical inaccuracies and portrayal of Alexander the Great’s personal life, specifically his relationship with Hephaestion. Greece’s Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni, criticized the show for its “low content” and inaccuracies, highlighting the debate surrounding the nature of Alexander and …