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JERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Rescuers and residents search for victims Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
A recent survey reveals that more businesses are investing in technology to support hybrid work models as employees increasingly seek work closer to home. Over 500 CEOs participated in the International Workplace Group's study, showing that 95% have spent on new technologies in the past year to enhance their hybrid working environments. This trend highlights the growing importance of hybrid work, with 43% of CEOs identifying these investments as their largest expenditure over the past 12 months. The continued growth of hybrid working is largely driven by employees' preference for work near their homes. Research shows that only 21% of people would accept a job that requires a daily commute longer than 30 minutes, while 60% prefer positions that are within a 15-minute commute from their homes. This shift in expectations is prompting businesses to adjust, and many are opting to scale back expensive central office spaces in favor of more affordable regional offices and co-working spaces. According to previous research, 44% of CEOs have downsized their office spaces by at least 25%, helping companies reduce overhead costs like energy consumption. The money saved from these reductions is being reinvested in technology, with cloud technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and cybersecurity among the most popular areas for investment. For example, 62% of CEOs are investing in cloud technology, 52% in AI and automation, and 41% in generative AI. These advances in technology are seen as crucial for supporting employees' hybrid work needs and improving their productivity. In fact, 87% of CEOs plan to keep investing in tech tools that will further enhance the hybrid work experience. Employees appear to benefit from this shift. Data from the International Workplace Group suggests that 74% of employees feel more productive when working in a hybrid model, while 76% report higher engagement levels, and 85% say their job satisfaction has improved since moving to hybrid work. Additionally, research from leading academic institutions suggests that hybrid working can boost company productivity by about $19,000 per employee per day. Human resources leaders also support the growing emphasis on hybrid work. About 86% of HR professionals agree that hybrid working has become a crucial element of employee well-being and productivity. This sentiment reflects the increasing recognition that offering flexible work options can lead to happier, more efficient workers. In the background, the shift to hybrid working began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many businesses to adapt to remote and flexible working arrangements. Over time, the advantages of hybrid working, such as improved work-life balance, health benefits, and cost savings, have become more apparent, leading to its widespread adoption. The combination of technological advancements and changing employee expectations suggests that hybrid work is here to stay, with businesses and workers alike continuing to reap its benefits. Mark Dixon, CEO of the International Workplace Group, emphasized the lasting nature of this shift, noting that the investments made by CEOs reflect a long-term commitment to hybrid work. He pointed to advancements in technology such as video conferencing, generative AI, and cloud services as key enablers of effective remote collaboration, suggesting that businesses will increasingly move toward localized working arrangements in the future. The decision to buy or rent property in Bulgaria's major cities, particularly Sofia, is influenced by various factors, with real estate experts suggesting that buying remains more advantageous than renting in the long term Employers who neglect to adopt a hybrid work model may face significant employee turnover The EU Council has established a new legal framework enabling sanctions against Russia for hybrid attacks targeting EU member states In Bulgaria, purchasing a 100 sq.m. apartment requires the equivalent of 199 monthly salarie In the German city of Offenbach, a small Bulgarian community has taken root, with nearly 6,000 Bulgarian residents making up about 4% of the city's population Approximately 40% of individuals who receive a work permit in Bulgaria do not remain in the country to fulfill their employment Airfares around the world are expected to rise in 2025, with ticket prices reflecting both higher operational costs and ongoing supply chain disruptions As the New Year approaches, hotels, holiday resorts, and guesthouses in Bulgaria are offering a range of packages to attract holidaymakers The decision to buy or rent property in Bulgaria's major cities, particularly Sofia, is influenced by various factors, with real estate experts suggesting that buying remains more advantageous than renting in the long term Bulgaria's position in the Global Innovation Index has remained unchanged at 38th place, but the country continues to see a decline in its performance across key indicators Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency (NRA) has increased its scrutiny of individuals involved in online trading and content creation. 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