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

Jebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, on Wednesday praised Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad’s resilience following the death of Raad’s son in an Israeli airstrike in south Lebanon last week. In a show of solidarity, Bassil emphasized the need for Lebanese people to honor the sacrifices of each other’s martyrs. He expressed these sentiments while extending his condolences to …

According to a report by the pro-Hezbollah newspaper al-Akhbar on Tuesday, French Special Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian’s upcoming visit to Lebanon is deemed as poorly timed. The report suggests that Le Drian is unlikely to receive a positive response, in contrast to the Qatari envoy. The newspaper highlighted that Hezbollah, a key player in Lebanon’s political landscape, is not …

On Wednesday, Israeli troops stationed at the Abbad post fired upon a Lebanese Army patrol near Houla, a town close to the southern border, in breach of an unofficial ceasefire. The truce, lasting four days, experienced occasional disruptions due to Israeli shelling and the continuous presence of Israeli surveillance drones overhead. During this period, Hezbollah adhered to the truce terms. …

On Lebanon’s Independence Day, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron, which was later published by the Grand Serail on Tuesday. This publication occurred just before Mikati’s meeting with Macron’s envoy, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Beirut. In this letter, Macron highlighted the potential negative impact of Lebanon’s ongoing presidential vacancy on the nation’s capacity …

Lebanon’s Central Bank is considering phasing out the ‘lollar,’ a term introduced by Lebanese economist Dan Azzi in 2019. The ‘lollar’ refers to US dollars that were effectively frozen within Lebanon’s banking system following the country’s financial crisis in 2019. Media reports indicate that the Central Bank plans to do away with Circular 151, which currently values these trapped dollars …

On Tuesday, Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was selected to host the 2030 World Expo. This decision was made following Riyadh’s bid, which emphasized the creation of a prosperous and sustainable future. Riyadh won over Rome and Busan, a South Korean port city, in a vote that saw it receive a majority of 119 out of 165 votes. The …

Hamas has expressed readiness to prolong the ceasefire for an additional four days and is prepared to release more Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian detainees, according to a source close to the organization, as reported on Wednesday. This development comes as the current truce, which paused hostilities for six days, is set to end early Thursday following Hamas-initiated attacks …

According to a report by al-Jadeed TV, the five-nation group dedicated to Lebanese affairs, which includes the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt, has reached a consensus on a presidential candidate for Lebanon. The name of this candidate is expected to be revealed in the coming days. Al-Liwaa newspaper, in a separate report on Wednesday, mentioned that members …