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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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amusement and theme parks
Six Flags and Travis Kelce Kick Off 2027 Season Pass Sales With Lowest Prices Through Sept. 7
Six Flags launches 2027 Season Pass sales at its lowest price through Sept. 7, with unlimited visits now through 2027, parking perks, and regional access.
Six Flags is officially in “season pass season” — and it’s starting with a headline deal. The company announced Aug. 7 that it has launched sales of its 2027 Season Passes at the lowest price guests will see this season or next, with a limited-time offer running through Sept. 7, 2026. To mark the 8/7 launch date, Six Flags teamed up with brand ambassador Travis Kelce, celebrating the biggest pass offer of the year on a number that’s become part of his legacy.
The big takeaway for fans: buy early, and you’re not just locking in 2027 access — you’re getting the rest of 2026, too. That includes major seasonal events like Halloween and holiday celebrations, plus the chance to start using the pass right away across participating parks.
What the 2027 Season Pass deal includes
Guests can purchase a 2027 Gold Pass or Prestige Pass at launch pricing and receive admission for the remainder of 2026 and all of 2027.
Kelce framed it in simple terms: unlimited visits, especially heading into fall and winter event season, is the kind of value that would have been “mind-blowing” as a kid — and it’s built for families and friend groups who want more reasons to get together.
Gold Pass: the value play for frequent park visits
The 2027 Gold Pass is positioned as the core option for guests who want maximum visits at the lowest price point. Benefits include:
- Unlimited visits for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027
- Free general parking (restrictions apply)
- Regional park access (East, West, Midwest, or Texas)
- Admission to fall haunt events and seasonal holiday celebrations
- Discounts on select food, merchandise, and tickets
- One bonus Bring-A-Friend Free ticket for renewing passholders and new members who purchase by Sept. 7
Prestige Pass: VIP perks and nationwide access
For guests who want more premium access and in-park benefits, Six Flags is also pushing its Prestige Pass tier. Prestige perks include:
- Access to all Six Flags parks across North America
- Preferred parking at many parks
- Complimentary fountain beverages
- VIP entrance access at participating parks
- Free Bring-A-Friend tickets
- One free single-use Fast Lane per visit
- A $20 in-park credit for new Prestige members and Prestige passholders who renew by Sept. 7
Memberships: month-to-month flexibility
Six Flags also announced 2027 Memberships for guests who prefer a monthly payment option. Memberships include unlimited visits and a range of benefits similar to Season Passes — including multi-park access (based on tier), parking benefits, discounts on food and merchandise, and member-exclusive rewards and offers.
Premium membership tiers add expanded park access and additional VIP-style perks, giving guests more ways to customize how they visit.
Why Six Flags is making a big push now
The 2027 pass launch arrives as Six Flags prepares what it calls one of its most ambitious attraction lineups ever, with major additions planned across regions.
Highlights announced so far include:
- East: Six Flags Great Adventure will debut Bakunawa, billed as the world’s tallest and fastest spinning coaster (382 feet, 100 mph), anchoring a renovated Boardwalk area inspired by Jersey Shore culture. Carowinds will introduce Rip Roarin’ Falls, a super-flume featuring a 100-foot drop.
- Texas: Six Flags Fiesta Texas will debut Werewolf Gorge, described as the world’s longest family launch coaster with immersive storytelling.
- Midwest: Six Flags Great America will open Camp Timber Trail, a family adventure area anchored by Sky Hawk, a suspended family coaster.
- West: Knott’s Soak City will introduce Coral Craze and Kelp Kraze, new family raft slides featuring ride systems making their West Coast and North American debuts.
Six Flags also teased that more major announcements are still on the way.
You can start using the pass in 2026 — and more is coming
Beyond the 2027 pipeline, Six Flags says guests who buy now can take advantage of new or recently opened additions in 2026, including:
- Quantum Accelerator (Six Flags New England)
- Tormenta: Rampaging Run (Six Flags Over Texas)
- Shoreline Pier (Six Flags Great Adventure)
- Daredeviler (Canada’s Wonderland)
- Speedway Stunt Coaster (Six Flags Mexico)
- Looney Tunes™ Land (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
- Phantom Theater (Kings Island)
- A major summer entertainment lineup (Kings Dominion)
And the calendar doesn’t slow down after summer. Six Flags says its 2026 Halloween lineup is coming soon, featuring new horror franchise experiences and new entertainment, followed by holiday events across parks — including the return of a newly reimagined Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Over Georgia.
The deadline to know
If you’re considering a pass, the timing matters: guests must purchase by Sept. 7, 2026 to receive launch pricing and promotional offers. For park-specific details and restrictions, Six Flags directs guests to visit sixflags.com.
For fans, Kelce summed up the pitch: more time at the parks now means more memories later — more rides, more laughs, and more reasons to bring your crew along for the season.
Source: Six Flags
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ABCs for School Zone Safety: Tips for Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists
School Zone Safety: A new school year means there’s more traffic around school campuses. Between dropoffs and pickups, children riding bicycles, walking to school and all the shuttling between sports practices and other extracurricular activities, this season is a reminder to make every trip to and from school a safe one.
ABCs for School Zone Safety: Tips for Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists
(Feature Impact) A new school year means there’s more traffic around school campuses. Between dropoffs and pickups, children riding bicycles, walking to school and all the shuttling between sports practices and other extracurricular activities, this season is a reminder to make every trip to and from school a safe one.
To make sure no parent worries about their child getting to school safely, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are encouraging drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to remember their “ABCs” on every trip: stay Alert for Bicyclists and watch for and yield to Children crossing the street.
With students in school and traffic patterns changing, consider these tips so students arrive to and from class safely:
Drivers
Because children outside of vehicles do not have the same protections as drivers and passengers, drivers have an outsized role to protect people walking, biking and rolling.
- Take your time and be patient.
- Always follow the speed limit.
- Use extra caution at crosswalks and intersections, especially if you notice children nearby.
- Don’t drive distracted – even a quick glance at your phone can have tragic consequences.
- Never drive while impaired.
- Adjust your driving to the conditions and use extra caution in rain, fog and darkness.
- If you see a bicyclist ahead, wait until it’s safe to pass and give them at least 3 feet of space when you do.
Pedestrians
Pedestrians have an important role in their own safety, particularly in school zones and crosswalks where children and other people may be present.
- Use sidewalks when available. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic so you can see drivers and they can see you.
- Avoid crossing outside of crosswalks. If there is a signalized crosswalk or marked crosswalk, use it.
- Before crossing the street, look both ways. If there are any stopped or turning cars, try to make eye contact with the drivers before crossing so you know they see you.
- If you’re walking after dark or when visibility is poor, make yourself visible by wearing something bright or reflective and shining a light.
- Stay alert – don’t wear headphones or use your phone while crossing the street or walking across a busy road.
Bicyclists
Bicyclists can help protect themselves by staying alert and visible, especially in areas where traffic, pedestrians and young students may be present.
- When possible, plan your route along bike paths or roads with dedicated bike lanes away from vehicle traffic.
- Equip your bicycle with lights and reflectors to be more visible to drivers and pedestrians.
- Wear a properly fitted helmet and bright clothing.
- Learn cyclist hand signals to communicate when you’re turning, slowing or stopping.
- Stay aware of drivers and always yield to pedestrians.
To learn more and join the movement, visit GoSafelyCA.org.
E-Bike Safety Tips
With more young people using e-bikes than ever before, it’s important that riders and their parents or guardians understand the risks involved and make smart, safe choices.
Since e-bikes can travel at faster speeds than traditional bicycles, they pose greater risk for serious injury or death in the event of a crash. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes can both travel at up to 20 mph unassisted, while Class 3 e-bikes can go as fast as 28 mph unassisted.
E-bike rules vary based on the top unassisted speed, but parents and guardians should follow these tips for e-bikes:
- Many local ordinances and state laws restrict e-bike use for minors or require special licensing.
- Helmets are required for riders under age 18 for Class 1-2 e-bikes and all riders on Class 3 e-bikes, regardless of age.
- You must be 16 years or older to ride a Class 3 e-bike.
- Never ride e-bikes that don’t have pedals as they could be considered e-motos and not legally permitted on roads.
- Ride in bike lanes or on legal paths, avoiding roads with traffic when possible.
- Be as predictable as possible and use caution when making turns, crossing streets or riding in conditions with poor visibility.
E-bike rules may vary by state and regionally. Contact local law enforcement regarding local laws.
SOURCE:
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News
Black Los Angeles Is Shrinking—and Spreading Across the West
Black Los Angeles has changed dramatically over the past several decades. Explore why its population declined, where families moved, and which neighborhoods continue to anchor the region’s Black community.
Last Updated on August 21, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Black Los Angeles?
For much of the 20th century, South Los Angeles was the center of one of the most influential Black communities in the western United States. Neighborhoods such as Watts, West Adams, Crenshaw, Baldwin Hills and Leimert Park produced political leaders, musicians, entrepreneurs and cultural movements whose influence reached far beyond Southern California.
That community has not disappeared, but it has become smaller and considerably more dispersed.
Census figures show that Los Angeles has experienced a sustained decline in its Black population, particularly within the city and the older communities of South Los Angeles.
A decades-long population decline
In 1990, approximately 454,000 Los Angeles residents identified as non-Hispanic Black alone, representing about 13% of the city’s population. By the 2020 Census, that number had fallen to approximately 323,000—or about 8.3% of the population.
The same pattern is visible across Los Angeles County.
The county’s non-Hispanic Black population declined from approximately 935,000 in 1990 to about 761,000 in 2020. Between 2010 and 2020 alone, it fell by nearly 55,000 people, even as the county’s total population increased.
These numbers do not include everyone with partial Black ancestry or those identifying as multiracial. Nevertheless, the figures reveal a clear geographic and demographic shift.
Black Los Angeles has not simply vanished. It has spread outward.
Why have Black families left Los Angeles?
Housing costs are one of the most important factors.
As rents and home prices rose, many working- and middle-class families found it increasingly difficult to remain in neighborhoods where their families had lived for generations. Redevelopment and gentrification placed additional pressure on renters and homeowners, particularly in areas near downtown Los Angeles and new transit investments.
Older homeowners could sometimes benefit from rising property values, but their children often could not afford to purchase homes nearby. Selling a Los Angeles property also gave some families enough equity to buy larger or newer homes elsewhere.
Researchers at UC Berkeley’s Terner Center found that Black households were disproportionately represented among lower-income residents leaving the Los Angeles region.
Employment changes also contributed. Los Angeles lost many of the manufacturing, aerospace and industrial jobs that had helped support Black working-class families during the postwar period. Meanwhile, metropolitan areas in other states offered lower housing costs and growing professional communities.
Where did people go?
A significant portion of the movement remained within Southern California.
Lancaster and Palmdale in the Antelope Valley attracted families from South Los Angeles, Compton and Inglewood. Others moved east into Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Between 1990 and 2021, Riverside County’s Black population grew from approximately 64,000 to more than 156,000. San Bernardino County’s Black population increased from approximately 115,000 to 174,000 during the same period.
The Urban Institute concluded that many Black residents leaving Los Angeles County likely settled in these neighboring Inland Empire counties.
Other families left California entirely. Las Vegas and Phoenix became important destinations for people seeking comparatively affordable housing while remaining relatively close to Southern California.
Farther away, Atlanta, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and Charlotte have attracted Black professionals and families as part of what researchers call the “New Great Migration”—a movement of Black Americans toward metropolitan areas in the South.
Where are the remaining Black population centers?
The strongest concentration within the city continues to run through the Crenshaw district and surrounding neighborhoods.
Leimert Park remains the symbolic and cultural heart of Black Los Angeles. Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Vista, Hyde Park, West Adams and Crenshaw also retain important Black institutions, churches, businesses and homeowners.
Immediately outside the city, View Park–Windsor Hills and Ladera Heights remain two of the county’s most prominent Black middle- and upper-middle-class communities. Recent American Community Survey estimates indicate that approximately 55% of Ladera Heights residents identify as Black.
Inglewood remains another major center of Black cultural and commercial life, despite its transition into a predominantly Latino city. Central and northern Inglewood, particularly areas near Morningside Park, View Park and Hyde Park, retain substantial Black populations.
Farther south, Black communities remain in Westmont, West Athens, Carson, Gardena, North Long Beach and portions of Compton. Most of these places are no longer majority-Black, but they continue to contain significant populations and long-established community institutions.
Lancaster and Palmdale now represent one of the county’s largest suburban concentrations of Black families. Unlike the compact neighborhoods of historic South Los Angeles, however, the Antelope Valley population is distributed across a much larger area.
Altadena was another important center of Black homeownership before the January 2025 Eaton Fire. The community’s Black population had already declined from its 1980 peak, but west Altadena still contained generations of Black homeowners. The fire destroyed or seriously damaged many of those homes, leaving the community’s future uncertain.
A community transformed, not erased
Today’s Black Los Angeles is more fragmented and suburban than the community that existed during the second half of the 20th century.
Leimert Park, Crenshaw and Baldwin Hills remain culturally significant, but they are now part of a much wider network extending from Inglewood and Carson to Lancaster, Palmdale and the Inland Empire.
This transformation presents a challenge for maintaining political representation, neighborhood institutions and cultural connections. A population that once lived within a relatively concentrated area is now spread across multiple cities, counties and states.
The story, therefore, is not simply that Black Los Angeles declined.
It is that rising housing costs, economic changes and suburban migration redrew the map of Black life in Southern California.
Sources: U.S. Census data compiled by Los Angeles Almanac, Urban Institute, UC Berkeley Terner Center and Brookings Institution.
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