News
Why Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire now − and what it means for Israel, Lebanon, Biden and Trump
Asher Kaufman, University of Notre Dame
Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah entered a 60-day ceasefire on Nov. 26, 2024, a move aimed at reducing tensions in the region more than a year into a multifront conflict.
Under the terms of the deal, Israel would gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon, and Hezbollah would fully withdraw north of the Litani River. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army would “deploy and take control over their own territory,” U.S. President Joe Biden said, adding that the United States, France and other allies have pledged to support the deal.
But what does the deal mean for the parties involved and future prospects for a more permanent cessation of hostilities? The Conversation U.S. turned to Asher Kaufman, an expert of Lebanon and border conflicts in the Middle East, to explain why they reached a ceasefire now and what it means going forward.
Why is the ceasefire deal happening now?
The timing of this ceasefire is the result of a convergence of interests among the government in Israel, Hezbollah itself and that of its chief sponsor, Iran – but all for different reasons.
For the Israeli government, domestic issues are at play. First off, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are exhausted after more than a year of war. This is particularly true for Israeli reservists, a growing number of whom are not turning up for duty. The Israeli general public, too, is tired of conflict, and a majority favors a ceasefire with Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also has internal issues in his government to contend with. He is facing pressure from the ruling coalition’s ultra-Orthodox partners to draw up laws exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from the military draft.
Reducing the need for active personnel by quieting the front with Lebanon will help in that regard. The secular and national-religious sectors of the society who do serve in the IDF and who are upset with the possibility of a formal draft-exemption law for ultra-Orthodox men may be more inclined to swallow this pill if the war with Hezbollah is over.
From the Israeli army’s perspective, the war in Lebanon is coming to a point of diminishing returns. It has succeeded in weakening Hezbollah’s military standing but has been unable to wipe the militant group out entirely.
This also factors into Hezbollah’s thinking. The group has been seriously debilitated in Lebanon; the war has eroded its military capabilities. Unlike its previous position – reiterated time and again over the past year by its now-dead leader, Hassan Nasrallah – that a ceasefire would only be possible if first it is reached between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran are now willing to delink the two fronts. This leaves Hamas in a far weaker position as they are now left without the support of Iran’s main proxy “axis of resistance” group. Drawing Hezbollah, and other aligned groups in the region, into direct confrontation with Israel had been Hamas’ hope when it launched its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Hezbollah and Lebanon’s other political factions also have strong domestic pressures to contend with. Lebanon has more than 1 million refugees as a result of the conflict – the vast majority of them Shia, the branch of Islam that Hezbollah is drawn from. The conditions in Lebanon have increased the risk of sectarian fighting between Shia and others factions in the country. For Hezbollah leaders, the time may seem right to cut their losses and prepare to regroup as a political and military body.
Iran, too, is seeking to rehabilitate Hezbollah’s standing in Lebanon as soon as possible. The deal comes as Tehran is bracing for a U.S. administration that could have a more hawkish position on Iran and its proxies in the region, of which Hezbollah is the most significant. With a new Iranian president, and a new U.S. administration, a ceasefire between Iran’s main proxy and Israel may be a first step to Tehran building a constructive dialogue with a Trump White House.
What is the role of the US in the ceasefire?
What is interesting for me is that despite the very clear position of the U.S. in favoring Israel during the past year of conflict, it still functions as an effective mediator. It is thanks to the U.S. that there is a ceasefire – and it comes despite the fact that Washington is far from neutral in this conflict, being a chief ally of Israel and its main provider of weapons.
But the Lebanese government and Hezbollah see a U.S. role, too. And this is not new. The United States was the mediator in the 2022 landmark agreement that, for the first time, set out the maritime boundaries between Israel and Lebanon.
The ceasefire deal benefits both the outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations. For President Joe Biden, it would represent a diplomatic success after a year in which the U.S. has failed to mediate any breakthrough in the conflict in Gaza, and it is an opportunity for Biden to finish his presidency on a positive foreign policy note. From the perspective of Trump, the ceasefire in Lebanon will represent one less problem for him to face.
What might be the consequences for Lebanon and Israel?
Lebanon has the most at stake in this ceasefire holding. The country was already in a perilous economic situation before the war, and months of fighting has only worsened the structural, economic and political crises in the country. It is as dire as it can get.
Further, the war has reignited sectarian tension in Lebanon – talk of a return to civil war in the country is not far-fetched.
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But there is uncertainty over how the ceasefire will affect the various rival factions in Lebanese society. Hezbollah has been weakened and may well now look for a way to reassert its strength in Lebanon’s politics. The main question is how the other factions and parties respond to that.
With a weak Hezbollah, other factions may challenge the militant organization in ways they haven’t before. Before being decimated by Israel, there were no rival groups in a position to challenge Hezbollah in Lebanon. But that has all changed: Hezbollah’s military power has been degraded and Nasrallah, the group’s leader, killed. And Nasrallah was not just the face and brains of Hezbollah, he was also the group’s most important link to Iran.
There is concern among some Lebanon experts that the gap left by a weakened Hezbollah may see a struggle for power and further strife in the country. And I believe there should be no illusions that Hezbollah will try to reassert itself as a domestic force.
Complicating matters is the fact that any realignment of political forces in Lebanon comes amid a political vacuum. There has been a caretaker government – and no president – for two years now since Hezbollah conditioned the appointment of a new president with the candidate being an ally of the group. Now, Lebanese politicians would need to agree on a new president who in turn would appoint a new prime minister and government. It remains to be seen how this will unfold with a weakened Hezbollah.
For Israel, the ceasefire will provide an opportunity to reconstruct parts of the north that have been devastated by Hezbollah missiles and a possible return of the 60,000 Israelis who fled northern areas close to the Lebanon border. It will also allow the Israel Defense Forces to regroup, refresh and focus their resources in Gaza, rather than fighting on two fronts.
Could the ceasefire lead to a permanent peace deal?
I don’t see any permanent peace deal on the horizon, given the fact that the fundamental political goals of Israel, Hezbollah and Iran have not changed and that the Israel-Palestine conflict continues to fester.
But I am hopeful that the ceasefire could lead to calm and stability between Israel and Lebanon for the foreseeable future. The details of the ceasefire agreement are not very different from U.N. Resolution 1701 that ended the last major war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. That agreement brought relative calm to the region for 18 years, even if Hezbollah, supported by Iran, used these years to build up its military capability and prepare for a potential ground invasion of northern Israel.
In my view, there is a possibility for greater stability this time around given the fact that the ceasefire agreement also stipulates that, if and when it becomes permanent, the deal would serve as a basis for negotiations over the demarcation of the Israel-Lebanon territorial boundary. This would not be an easy task, particularly in the area of Shebaa Farms and the village of Ghajar. But with goodwill and good intentions, even difficult border disputes could be resolved.
Asher Kaufman, Professor of History and Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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financial wellness
Survey: Credit isn’t a backup plan. For millions of Americans, it’s how they buy groceries.
Credit isn’t a backup plan. Credit cards were once reserved for expensive purchases or for added security in buying online. For households managing debt, they have become a way to cover everyday purchases like groceries.
Survey: Credit isn’t a backup plan. For millions of Americans, it’s how they buy groceries.
(Sheeka Sanahori) Sixty-six percent of Americans carrying at least $10,000 in unsecured debt used a credit card to buy groceries in the last year, more than any other essential expense, according to a new survey. Credit cards were once reserved for expensive purchases or for added security in buying online. For households managing debt, they have become a way to cover everyday purchases like groceries.
Accredited Debt Relief, a company specializing in debt relief, commissioned Atomik Research in May 2026 to survey 2,000 U.S. adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt. Along with groceries, 47% say they’ve used credit for gas or transportation, 45% for utilities and 33% for rent or housing costs.
For people struggling with cost-of-living pressures, using unsecured debt can begin as a quick solution to cover household needs for the moment. At first, it’s just milk and eggs. But then an unexpected expense happens: a flat tire, an unusually high electricity bill, a medical cost that was not in the budget. The balance adds up and, according to the survey data, this also creates stress for consumers.
This isn’t discretionary spending. The data reflects a growing reliance on consumer debt to cover basic cost-of-living needs. However, relying on borrowed money without an executable plan for repaying it could mean that one day, the runway for taking care of such expenses runs out.
A significant share of respondents report relying on credit as a routine part of managing their personal finances. This routine could become a long-term debt cycle for many households. Nearly three in ten say that they rely on credit or borrowing to get through a typical month. This reliance appears to be growing, with a third saying they depend on credit more than they did a year ago. For those consumers, what may have once been a stopgap has become an increasingly common and ongoing financial strategy.
The growing debt cycle by unsecured borrowing is taking an emotional toll on these consumers, too. A quarter of respondents are concerned about their financial future and 12% feel a stronger concern that they’re at risk of long-term financial instability.
A lack of savings makes the cycle harder to break. Only 28% of respondents say they can both cover expenses and save. When there is little room between income and expenses, every disruption becomes harder to absorb.
Unexpected expenses, such as medical bills or car repairs, lead 19% of respondents to take on additional debt every time, and 27% most of the time. These are the kinds of costs households are often told to prepare for, but preparation requires room. For many consumers, that room does not exist.
Debt builds over time when credit becomes part of monthly operations. Some of these consumers say they don’t earn enough to make meaningful changes to their current financial situation. Among those surveyed, 45% report that their income is enough to get by but not get ahead. Many report that their financial situation has caused them to put off taking a vacation or begin building savings.
When asked about the biggest barrier to reducing debt, 29% of respondents listed the same obstacle: the cost of everyday expenses. That number connects how debt builds with why it persists.
When everyday expenses become part of ongoing credit card debt, the balance can grow without notice. Even when a consumer gets their next paycheck, if it’s already accounted for, they may not be able to make much progress in paying down their debts. A few recurring costs, spread across months, can become a greater financial weight. The result is debt that builds, because it’s tied to the basic cost of living. It also can create a stressful way to live; more than three in ten people say their current debt situation has affected their mental well-being.
Without meaningful changes, whether through increased income, debt relief or other financial support, these households may continue to rely on consumer debt and unsecured credit as a daily necessity rather than a strategic financial tool or occasional supplement. The risk is that life’s most basic needs become harder to maintain in the long run.
Methodology
Accredited Debt Relief commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. Fieldwork was conducted between May 11-14, 2026. Atomik Research, part of 4media group, is a creative market research agency.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (tap to pay)
SOURCE:
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Breaking News
Dolly Parton Dies at 80, Leaving Behind an Extraordinary American Legacy
Dolly Parton, the legendary singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has died at 80. We look back at the remarkable journey that took her from rural Tennessee to becoming one of America’s most beloved cultural icons.
Last Updated on August 25, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Country music legend, songwriter, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, bringing to a close one of the most remarkable careers in American entertainment.
Dolly Parton Dies at 80
Dolly Parton, whose unmistakable voice, songwriting talent, humor and generosity made her an American cultural icon far beyond the world of country music, died Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in Nashville.
Parton died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center following a brief battle with cancer, according to her publicist. She was surrounded by loved ones. The specific type of cancer has not been publicly disclosed.
For millions of fans around the world, the news marks the loss of an entertainer who seemed almost timeless.
From the Tennessee Mountains to Stardom
Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee, Parton grew up as one of 12 children in a family with little money.
Those beginnings would become an important part of both her identity and her music.
Rather than distancing herself from her Appalachian upbringing after becoming famous, Parton repeatedly returned to those experiences in her songwriting. Songs such as “Coat of Many Colors” transformed childhood memories into stories about poverty, family, dignity and love.
After moving to Nashville, Parton eventually became a nationally known performer, including through her partnership with Porter Wagoner.
But it was her ability to write songs that helped establish her as one of the defining artists of her generation.
Her catalog would eventually include classics such as “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “Here You Come Again” and “9 to 5.”
“I Will Always Love You,” originally written and recorded by Parton in the 1970s, would find an entirely new audience when Whitney Houston recorded a soaring version for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
More Than a Country Singer
Calling Dolly Parton simply a country music star never quite captured the full scope of her career.
She crossed into pop music, television and Hollywood while maintaining her country roots.
Her starring role alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the 1980 comedy 9 to 5 helped turn her into a major movie star. The film’s title song became another Parton classic and an enduring anthem about the frustrations of working life.
Parton later appeared in films including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk.
She also became an extraordinarily successful businesswoman.
Her association with Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park bearing her name, helped transform the attraction into one of the state’s best-known tourist destinations while bringing jobs and investment to the region where she grew up.
A Legacy Built Around Giving
Parton’s impact may ultimately be measured by more than records sold, awards won or movies made.
Through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, founded in 1995, free books have been provided to children from birth to age five.
What began as a literacy program serving children in Parton’s home county in Tennessee grew into an international effort distributing books to children in the United States and several other countries.
Parton also contributed to disaster relief, education and medical research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center research that helped support development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Her philanthropy became almost as recognizable as her music.
An Artist Who Crossed Generations
Perhaps one of Parton’s most unusual achievements was her ability to remain relevant without abandoning the personality that made her famous.
Parents who grew up hearing Dolly Parton records introduced her music to their children and grandchildren. Country fans embraced her, but so did rock musicians, pop artists, actors and audiences who might rarely listen to country music.
Her enormous blonde hair, rhinestones and colorful outfits became instantly recognizable, and Parton frequently made herself the punchline of jokes about her appearance before anyone else had the opportunity.
Behind that carefully cultivated public image was a songwriter responsible for thousands of compositions and a businesswoman who maintained considerable control over her work.
Even late in her career, Parton continued exploring new musical territory. Her 2023 album Rockstar featured collaborations with major figures from rock and pop music and demonstrated yet again her ability to move between genres.
Tributes Pour In
News of Parton’s death quickly prompted tributes from across entertainment and public life.
Musicians, actors, friends and admirers remembered not only her extraordinary career but also the kindness and generosity for which she had become known.
The reaction reflects something that made Parton unusual among celebrities of her stature: she became a figure whose appeal extended across generations, regions and many of the cultural divisions of American life.
Her husband, Carl Dean, died in March 2025 at the age of 82. The famously private Dean and Parton had been married for nearly 60 years.
The Music Remains
Dolly Parton’s career is difficult to summarize because it was never confined to one thing.
She was a country singer who became a pop star.
A songwriter who became a movie star.
A girl who grew up poor in the mountains of Tennessee and became a highly successful entrepreneur.
And a celebrity who turned much of her wealth and fame toward helping children she would never meet.
Dolly Parton died at 80, but the songs, stories and institutions she created will continue long after her passing.
For generations of listeners, hearing the opening guitar of “Jolene,” the tenderness of “Coat of Many Colors,” or the unmistakable opening of “9 to 5” will immediately bring her back.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest legacies a songwriter can leave behind.
STM Daily News will publish a more comprehensive look at Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life, career and lasting cultural impact in the coming days.
Sources:
Associated Press — Dolly Parton dies at 80
Reuters — Dolly Parton dies at 80
Related Links:
Official Dolly Parton Website
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
College Life
The Princeton Review’s “Best Colleges for 2027” Rankings Are Out: 50 Student-Driven Lists Spotlight Campus Life, Aid, and Fit
The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges for 2027 rankings are out, based on surveys of 172,000 students across 392 schools in 50 categories.
The Princeton Review has released its “Best Colleges for 2027” rankings, a set of 50 category-based lists built entirely from student feedback—an approach designed to help applicants and families focus less on prestige and more on campus fit.
The rankings are now searchable for free on PrincetonReview.com and are also published in a dedicated chapter of The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition (Penguin Random House, $26.99), which went on sale August 18.
A rankings system built on student experience
Unlike lists that attempt to name a single “best” college overall, The Princeton Review’s project breaks the undergraduate experience into categories that mirror real questions students and parents ask: How good are the professors? Is financial aid strong? What’s campus food like? Do students feel supported?
This year’s rankings are based on surveys of 172,000 students at the 392 colleges featured in the book—about 439 students per school on average. Students completed a 98-question survey rating academics, administrative services, financial aid, campus amenities, and social dynamics, including topics like political leanings, race/class interaction, and LGBTQ acceptance.
Each ranking list names the top 25 schools in a specific category, using data drawn from one or more survey questions. The Princeton Review also posts information online about how each list is calculated.
Rob Franek, Editor-in-Chief at The Princeton Review and lead author of the guide, emphasized that the schools profiled vary widely by “type, size, locale, and campus culture,” but each offers an academically strong undergraduate education. He also reiterated a key point behind the project: there is no single “best” college—only the best fit for a given student.
Notable #1 schools across the 2027 lists
The 2027 rankings highlight how different “best” can look depending on what matters most to a student.
For academics and campus operations, several schools earned top spots:
- Professors Get High Marks: Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (Massachusetts)
- Best Classroom Experience: Reed College (Oregon)
- Best-Run Colleges: Claremont McKenna College (California)
- Great Financial Aid: Washington and Lee University (Virginia)
- Best Career Services: Bentley University (Massachusetts)
- Best Health Services: The University of Chicago (Illinois)
- Best Student Support and Counseling Services: Macalester College (Minnesota)
Campus life categories also drew attention:
- Best Campus Food: University of Massachusetts—Amherst
- Best College Dorms: Bowdoin College (Maine)
- Most Beautiful Campus: University of San Diego (California)
The lists also capture student-reported culture and community dynamics:
- Most Politically Conservative Students: Texas Christian University
- Most Politically Liberal Students: Bennington College (Vermont)
- Most Politically Moderate Students: Manhattan University (New York)
- Most Religious Students: Brigham Young University (Utah)
- LGBTQ-Friendly: University of Vermont
- Lots of Race/Class Interaction: Rice University (Texas)
- Friendliest Students: William & Mary (Virginia)
- Happiest Students: Vanderbilt University (Tennessee)
One new addition in the 2027 edition is “Great Outdoors: Students Get Outside,” with The University of the South (Tennessee) ranked #1.
“Statistical Stand-Out Schools” adds a data lens
In addition to student rankings, The Best 392 Colleges includes a feature called “Statistical Stand-Out Schools for 2027,” based on surveys of college administrators. A few of the standout distinctions include:
- Lowest Tuition & Fees (In-State) / Public College: University of Central Florida ($5,954)
- Highest Average Need-Based Scholarships: Princeton University ($80,837)
- Lowest Student/Faculty Ratio: Caltech (3:1) and MIT (3:1)
- Lowest Average Undergraduate Debt: CUNY: City College ($7,849)
- Most Applications / Public College: UCLA (145,086)
- Most Applications / Private College: NYU (114,125)
For families weighing cost, support, and outcomes, these stats can provide a useful counterpoint to reputation-driven decision-making.
How to use the rankings
The Princeton Review’s 2027 lists are best used as a starting point for research: identify what you value most—teaching quality, career preparation, affordability, student support, or campus culture—then compare schools through that lens.
The full rankings hub is available at: www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges
